Pledges
by Amireal
Summary: **COMPLETE** Screwed up spells, attacks on hogwarts, Potions Masters who dearly wish he had actual control over his life. SLASH HP/SS
1. 1 33

Title: Pledges 1/?  
Author: Amireal (amireal@abac.com)  
Rating: Gosh.... I dunno if I'm up to a sex scene this week... let's say R for adult themes...  
Disclaimer: Waddaya mean they're not mine?  
Summary: Well... at FIRST it was a challenge response.... it has now turned into a reason to avoid  
all responsibility...  
Author's notes: First... I tip my hat to all the authors who have similar premises. I probably  
borrowed from you guys unconsciously... thank you thank you thank you. Second.. I know I  
know... punctuation.. Hey... its 6:30 am here and I haven't been to bed yet... Third... it's a bit  
bare bones... I'll fix it on the rewrite... now encourage me!  
Archive: Uh sure... just lemme know where...  
Feedback: Feed the author... a happy author makes for no WIPs.  
  
  
"No one will believe that we're lovers." Harry declared with a sigh.   
  
"You should have thought of that before you opened your mouth." Snape shot back.   
Harry played with the hem of robes. "Is it my fault that I can't walk down the street without being  
assaulted?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"You sound pretty sure of yourself."   
  
The potions master waved his hand indistinctly. "That's because I am."   
  
"How is it my fault?" Harry demanded, sounding precariously close to whining.   
  
"You exist, is that not reason enough?"   
  
Harry opened his mouth to protest but was cut off with a snarl. "If your tone of voice gets any  
higher pitched I will personally remove your tongue and hand it to the 3rd years for their next  
potion."   
  
Harry closed his mouth abruptly.   
  
"Smart boy." Snape tossed over his shoulder as he opened a hinged box that had been sitting on  
his shelf. After rummaging for a few moments, he produced two pieces of jewelry. Rings.  
Platinum rings. Expensive looking platinum rings. Not that simple bands of the stuff would have  
been cheep. But these. These had intricate carvings. And they looked old.   
  
"Rings?" Harry squeaked.   
  
"No, broaches."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Of course they're rings Potter. Imbecile." He closed the box carefully and placed it back into its  
original position between the small jade statue of a young boy and his favorite potions book.  
  
"Was that a joke?"   
  
"No, it was an insult to your intelligence. Really sometimes I wonder how you ever pass any of  
your classes." He walked slowly around the room, adjusting things as he went.  
  
"Why rings?"   
  
Snape just raised an eyebrow.   
  
"I still say no one is going to believe it." Harry looked him in the eye for a moment, but quickly  
turned away.   
  
Snape sighed and stopped pacing for a moment. His expression did not change, but a flash of  
defeat went through him "They don't have to believe it for the spell to work." He responded  
tiredly. "We are well and truly without recourse, other than the obvious that is."  
  
"Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?"   
  
He resumed his circuit around the room. "I can hardly believe you would do this on purpose."   
  
Harry began explaining. "I was walking down the street minding my own business when this girl  
just-"  
  
"Please spare me the anecdotes from the Potter fan club."  
  
"I was reading." Harry persevered. "You know. Studying. When this girl just- " He seemed at a  
loss for words momentarily, "attacked me."  
  
Snape was examining his bookshelf carefully as he responded. "Let me see if I fully comprehend  
the situation, Potter. You were walking down Diagon Alley and it suddenly occurs to you that it  
would be the perfect time to begin that new study regimen that Miss Granger has, without a  
doubt, been attempting to shove down your throat. Really Potter, did it not occur to you that it  
was one of the more stupid, irresponsible, rash, thoughtless, immature-"   
  
"Alright! I get it."  
  
"- and what on earth possessed you to fiddle with your wand at the same time?"   
  
"I wasn't thinking." He answered lamely.  
  
Still not looking at Harry. "Obviously."   
  
"You're not helping."   
  
"That was never my intent. But if you really want my help- "  
  
"Not really." Harry muttered.  
  
"-NEVER read a spell out loud for the first time, ESPECIALLY if you're holding your wand."  
  
"Thank for that first year refresher course!"  
  
Finally turning around. "You obviously needed it."  
  
"Look, I'm just as excited about this as you are!" Harry finally snapped.  
  
"I hardly doubt that." His voice held little emotion. Harry looked at him curiously, but Snape just  
shook his head. "Come let's find the headmaster. As intractable as this situation is, I wouldn't  
want to miss the look on his face for all the gold in Gringotts."  
  
"That's scary."  
  
"Please, Mr. Potter enlighten me. There are so many things about this situation that could be  
deemed scary, I'd like to know which one has caught your fancy"  
  
"The look on his face. I just imagined it. Him trying not to look horrified as he offers us a lemon  
drop."  
  
Snape's lips twitched. "If I time it just right, I may be able to get him to drop the whole damned  
tin on the floor."  
  
As Snape swept forward he could hear a familiar muffled chuckle. He'd heard it often enough in  
class. "Really Potter, who would have thought you had such a malicious sense of humor."  
  
"Look who's talking."  
  
"Touche."  
  
Part 2  
  
  
The walk to the headmaster's office was filled with a tense silence. Snape kept his eyes forward,  
not even making an attempt to acknowledge Harry. At the large gargoyle he stopped and closed  
his eyes briefly. "Peppermint schnapps." He whispered quietly.  
  
"Peppermint Schnapps?"  
  
"On the holidays the Headmaster like to... let his sense of humor out." Snape's voice was dry and  
uneven.  
  
"I didn't know his sense of humor could get anymore... out."  
  
"Consider yourself lucky."  
  
The Headmaster appeared in front of the, now open, door. "Now Severus, what sort of rumor are  
you spreading about me?"  
  
A glare. "Not spreading any rumor Headmaster."  
  
The headmaster 'tut tutted' and motioned for both of them to enter.  
  
They both shuffled in and silently took seats. On opposite sides of the room.  
  
Dumbledore studied the tableau in front of him for a moment and then said, "I must say, this is a  
welcome surprise. Unexpected but welcome."  
  
They sat in silence for a few more moments. Both Snape and Harry avoiding eye contact with the  
Headmaster.  
  
"Well, lemon drop?"  
  
"We've been Pledged." Snape ground out. The sound of several small objects hitting the floor  
made him smile. A small choke from the other side of the room took both older mens attentions.  
Turning they saw Harry, red faced and bitting his hand. There were tears streaming down his face.  
  
"Harry, are you crying?" Dumbledore sounded concerned.  
  
He shook his head frantically.  
  
"Then what's the matter?" This time it was Snape who asked.  
  
Harry just threw his head back and let out a loud peal of laughter. "I'm s-sorry." He choked out  
between spasms. "I just- the lemon drops- and," he hiccuped again and a fresh wave of giggles  
threatened to erupt. "I just pictured Ron and Hermione- Ron finding out and-" deep breath, "and  
tripping and sprawling on the floor a-and Hermione, lecturing me... on safe- s-safe spell practices-  
" He lost it once more and didn't try to recover. He just leaned back in the chair clutching his  
sides as they twitched irregularly.  
  
The Headmaster gazed worriedly at Harry. "Severus, stay here while I take Harry to Poppy, I  
think he could benefit from something relaxing."  
  
Snape just nodded absently. He gaze had resumed studying the carpet. When he was finally alone,  
he slumped forward and buried his face in his hands. Slow deep breaths. The tension strummed  
through his body and he began to shake. In. Out. In. Out. Breathing. If he kept breathing maybe  
he wouldn't pass out. A tentative hand rested on his shoulder. "Back already?" He asked without  
looking up.  
  
"Its been more than 15 minutes, Severus."  
  
He grunted in response.  
  
"Severus. Why don't you tell me what happened?"  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"Resting comfortably. I think it was too much all at once."  
  
"Why ever would you think that Albus? What did you tell Poppy?"  
  
"That it was Voldemort related."  
  
Grunt.  
  
"Severus, tell me what happened."  
  
"There isn't much to tell, other than, I told you so."  
  
"Severus, now is not the time."  
  
"No Albus. Now is the perfect time. I always said that boy's inattentiveness would get him in  
trouble some day." A small snort. "I just wish I'd known it was going to get me into trouble as  
well. I'd have learned to duck."  
  
"Please Severus. Just tell me so that I might figure out what I can do to help."  
  
He sighed and quietly began. "As I said before. There really isn't much to tell."  
  
**********************************************  
  
He was walking towards the apothecary. One last stop and he could return to his dungeons. Away  
from these people and their inability to keep to their own personal space. He was about to make  
turn into the shop when a shove from behind sent him stumbling forward. He whirled around and  
found Harry Potter falling in his direction. "Mr. Potter!" He yelled.  
  
Harry landed heavily against him. Looking up, his eyes wide with surprise, "Professor Snape?"  
  
Snape opened his mouth to offer a scathing retort and demand an explanation when the feeling hit  
him.  
  
Perfection.  
  
Completion  
  
Peace.  
  
Soft hair.  
  
His hands had involuntarily come up to hold the boy steady.  
  
Green eyes.  
  
Beautiful green eyes. Deep. With emotion. Great gobs of indefinable emotion.  
  
He'd never felt like this. Not even after solving a particularly difficult bit of research.  
  
This was extraordinary. This was perfect.  
  
Strong hands on his arms. Strong body next to his. Hot breath on his neck.  
  
Breath? Oh yes. They were moving closer. Bodies relaxing against each other.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
The voice cut through some of the fog. But he couldn't bring himself to do much more that turn  
his head.  
  
"Severus? It *was* you. In The Pledge, that is."  
  
Snape finally focused on the person talking to him and found himself face to face with Jonas  
Kirby, a low level death eater.  
  
Part 3  
  
"So there was a Witness?" Dumbledore leaned back in his seat.  
  
"Yes Albus!" He snarled. "There was a damned Witness!"  
  
Sighing. "Then there really isn't much we can do."  
  
Sitting up strait. "Thank you for stating the utterly obvious."  
  
"The Witness, did he..." Dumbledore trailed off.  
  
"See the scar?" Snape asked. "I don't know. I nodded and gathered up Potter and his things and  
got out of there as soon as possible." A pause and then a sigh. "I supposed we'll find out soon  
enough."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "All we can do is wait then."  
  
"Yes. Wait." He snorted lightly. "Have I ever told you that it's a joy to be me?"  
  
"Now Severus..."  
  
"No Albus!" He slammed his fist on the desk on front of him. A few more lemon drops fell to the  
floor. He stood up and leaned forward heavily. "Don't 'Now Severus' me! You are not the one  
having the incredibly dismaying day." Turning abruptly, he began to pace the room.  
  
"Does Harry know?" The question was asked quietly.  
  
He stopped in front of a particular set of books he'd always liked. Not that he was actually  
looking at them. "He knows some. How much... I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. Albus...  
I..."  
  
Kindly. "Yes, Severus?"  
  
"It doesn't matter." Dismissive.  
  
"It does to me."  
  
Still not looking at him. "Well it shouldn't"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because its not real! You know that Albus!" His back was taught. Knuckles white and stretched  
as they clenched and unclenched compulsively.  
  
"Its real enough, at the moment," Dumbledore persisted, "and it will do you some good to talk  
about it."  
  
He whirled, tension emanating from everything that he did. Stalking up to the desk again, he  
fumbled in his robes a moment and produced the rings. He slapped them down and said, "Just  
charm the blasted rings and tell me when they're ready." With a swish of robes and a low growl.  
He was gone.  
  
Albus Dumbledore sat back in his chair and watched the retreating figure with a heavy heart.  
"Severus my child, for what its worth... I'm so sorry." He said to his empty office, then got up  
and began his way to the library where he could look up the correct charms.  
__________________________________________________________________________  
  
Step. Step. Turn. Step. Step. Turn. Step.  
  
He stopped. It was ridiculous. Go or stay. He should go. Go far away. To the dungeons. His  
dungeons.  
  
He crept into the infirmary.   
  
There he was. In the first bed. Glowing in the moonlight. His legs nearly gave out.  
  
Unsteadily, he moved forward, his eyes never leaving the pale figure asleep in the bed. Arriving  
next to the bed, his knees finally buckled. Sinking slowly to the floor he ran a hand through his  
hair moving it out of his face, offering himself an unobstructed view.  
  
Torture. Excruciating torture.  
  
Slowly his hand came up and hovered over the dark mop of hair that rested haphazardly on the  
pillow.  
  
A tremor. Resist it. Just once. He'd have this small thing. Once.  
  
The hand descended and caught a few silky strands in its fingers. Such a simple thing. So  
complex. So inviting.  
  
So perfect.  
  
The feeling was surfacing again.  
  
He wanted to sink into it. Sink into him.  
  
"Oh god." He whispered hoarsely.  
  
He should leave. Leave now. Don't look back. Don't think. Don't... touch.  
  
His fingers were moving now. Down tracing the cheek. Then the chin.  
  
He had to stop.  
  
Another hand tangled in his. Sleepy eyes looked up at him.  
  
He pulled back, made to leave.  
  
"No." The plea sounded wrenched from the boy's mouth. The other's fingers tightened on his  
own. "Don't go."  
  
"I shouldn't be here."  
  
"Please. Don't go. Don't stop." Harry choked on the last word.  
  
His fingers hadn't stopped. They were still touching that magnificent, silky skin.  
  
"I shouldn't-"  
  
"Please." An entreaty. Dragged out against the boys will. Then the other hand was at him arm.  
Unbuttoning the cuff. Shaking hands fought with the bottons, but eventually won.  
  
Oh.  
  
He was touching him.  
  
Potter. Harry. Was touching him. Long, slow, languid strokes.  
  
Up. Down. Up. Down.  
  
Nothing should feel this good. Just touching. Hand on cheek. Hand on arm. Skin on skin.  
Entranced. Nothing ever felt like this.  
  
It was wrong. So wrong.  
  
Not real. Not right.  
  
"Stop." The word took so much effort to utter. Not like the stroking. That was easy. "We have to  
stop." He couldn't make his fingers move. "This isn't real." He closed his eyes. Don't look. "This  
isn't real Harr- Potter." With more force. "We must stop!" He wrenched his fingers away.  
  
Loss. Complete loss.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said. "Albus will explain, but you must understand. Its not real."  
  
The hand was still on his arm. Stroking. Oh god. If he didn't leave soon. He wouldn't be able to.  
  
A deep breath then. Adrift. Alone. He'd gotten his arm back. But he had to leave. Quickly.  
  
He stood. Back away. "I'm sorry." He whispered again to those eyes. They followed him.  
Confused but understanding. Once outside he turned and fled.  
  
Part 4  
  
Harry woke up in layers. Whatever Madame Pomfrey had given him last certainly had a calming  
affect, but he'd still had a fitful sleep. Now his head felt like stuffed cotton. He muzzily sifted  
through the memories of the day before.  
  
Walking down the street muttering to himself, idly twirling his wand. Which, in hindsight, he  
admitted probably wasn't the best idea in the world. Not that he's ever admit that to Snape.  
  
Snape.  
  
There was a whole set of feelings he didn't want to examine too closely.  
  
Just the memory of being pressed against him for those few moments made his 16 year old body  
stand up and take notice. Never mind last night.  
  
Last night.  
  
Strong calloused fingers caressing him. So softly. It was gentleness he'd never even guessed the  
potions master had in him. At least not with another human being. If he'd been a potion-  
  
No. Don't think that. Potions led to drinking. Drinking led to lips. Lips led to tongues and oh-  
  
No. Crabbe. Goyle. Crabbe AND Goyle. There. Better.  
  
"Harry?" A kind voice asked.  
  
"Headmaster?" He managed to mutter.  
  
"That's it. Time to wake up." A gentle hand was placed on his arm.  
  
"No. Sleep."  
  
"You haven't been asleep for a good while now." Dumbledore knowingly answered.  
  
Harry reluctantly rolled over and faced the headmaster with bleary eyes. "Haven't exactly been  
awake either."  
  
"Come on Harry. There are things we need to talk about. Before classes resume and your friends  
get back from their holiday breaks."  
  
He let out an unintelligible groan.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"My friends. I'm just picturing their reaction. Except this time Hermione faints and Ron turns a  
alarming shade of purple."  
  
"Let's start there then. There's no reason they need to know."  
  
"I think they'd notice my... my..." His what? Inability to keep his hands and mind off Snape?  
  
"After we complete the ceremony you'll find the... compulsion... more manageable."  
  
"Ceremony?" He panicked. "You mean I have to-"  
  
"Not marriage Harry."  
  
His shoulders slumped in relief and maybe a little disappointment. But he wasn't going to think  
about that. "Then what's the ceremony?"  
  
"Just a completion of what you started yesterday."  
  
"And I'll feel less out of control when its done?" Maybe there was hope.  
  
"In theory."  
  
That wasn't very reassuring. "How soon can we do it then?"  
  
"I need to do a bit of research first. There are a few charms that need be placed on the rings."  
  
"The rings?" Harry remembered them from yesterday. "How do you expect me to keep this a  
secret if we go around wearing identical platinum rings?"  
  
"I'm working on that Harry. Don't worry."  
  
"I can't help but worry. This is so- so... Why would anyone use this charm anyway?"  
  
"It was typically used in arranged marriages."  
  
"Arranged marriages?"  
  
"How do you think purebloods remained purebloods for a hundred generations." Came a voice  
from the doorway.  
  
Harry looked up and caught dark eyes, he stared for a moment and then jerked his head away.  
"So what does this spell have to do with arranged marriages?" He asked shakily.  
  
"For one, it pretty much guaranteed an heir."  
  
He chuckled nervously.  
  
"For another, it tended to discourage running away with the children."  
  
Turning to Dumbledore, Harry looked worried. "But I thought you said it was only temporary."  
  
"Harry my boy. Even the memory of such intense emotion can do a lot to soften a relationship.  
Remember, traditionally this spell was done between to people who were to be married. There  
was no reason to resist."  
  
"Also the two parts of the spell are usually performed within minutes of each other. As part of the  
wedding ceremony itself." Snape added.  
  
"So how soon can we do the second part?" Soon. Please. Or he may have to be locked in a room.  
  
"It will take me about a day. Learning charms from a book is much more difficult than from  
another person. Especially if you want to make modifications."  
  
"Modifications?" Snape looked worried.  
  
"Severus you must know that despite the control the rings offer there are still certain-"  
  
"Yes." Snape cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Certain. I trust you are working on  
an alternative then?"  
  
"An alternative to what?" Harry had lost the thread of conversation some where. He was probably  
too busy watching that hand.  
  
"Sex." Snape's voice was low. Rumbling.  
  
A shiver went down Harry's spine. "Oh." He looked at Snape for only the second time since he's  
entered the conversation. Their eyes met again. They held until Snape looked down and grabbed  
his arm in a hiss of pain. He was out of bed and at his side before he could think about his actions.  
"What's the matter?" Harry placed his left hand over Snape's.  
  
Snape looked at their hands for a moment and then answered. "It seems that Mr. Kirby has let  
someone know what he saw yesterday."   
  
Harry brought his right hand up to massage the tense muscle just above the other man's elbow.  
  
"Severus. Do you know what you're going to say?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I've thought about it all night. I believe I've come up with something fairly plausible."  
  
All night? Harry noticed the deep circles under the dark eyes. The man had probably gotten even  
less sleep than he had. Then it occurred to Harry. Snape had been called. "What are you going to  
tell him?" He asked quietly.  
  
A long pause. In which their fingers seemed to have gotten tangled up again. "I have a number of  
possibilities. I won't know exactly what story I'll tell him until I am actually in his presence and I  
can... judge his reactions."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yes. Quite." Snape's thumb started to trace small circles against the back of his hand. "I should  
go." It was said more to Harry than to the headmaster.  
  
Snape's thumb was causing sparks. Sparks shooting from his hand strait down to his- No! He was  
not thinking about that. His hand was gently untangled and the other carefully pulled away.  
  
Still holding his hand. "Mr. Potter. While I'm gone. Please refrain from doing something else that  
I will find incredibly annoying."  
  
Harry could only nod dumbly as the last of the contact was removed.  
  
Snape turned to Dumbledore. "Albus. I don't know what would happen if... if he doesn't believe  
my story. He should not be left alone."  
  
Harry, for once, completely understood the unsaid implications of the conversation. Who knew  
what Harry would do. If Voldemort killed Snape.  
  
"Of course Severus. Go and be careful."  
  
With a nod and a last look at Harry, he was gone.  
  
  
Part 5  
  
The first thing he saw after he'd apparated was Lucius Malfoy's snide face. An auspicious  
beginning, if anything else.  
  
"Welcome Severus. You're arrival has been greatly... anticipated." Malicious glee rang from  
every pore of the blonde man's body.  
  
"Lucius, an honor," sneer, "as always."  
  
"Follow me Severus, the meeting has already started."  
  
That was never a good sign. If you were late. You were noticed. Also, Lucius had been waiting  
for him. Missing being his usual sycophant self and keeping his lips as close to The Dark Lord's  
ass as possible in favor of meeting him meant one of two things. Either Lucius was willing to  
forgo some of his obsessive sucking up to get a better seat for the whole proceeding or...  
Voldemort had sent him. Neither of the prospects made Snape feel very joyful.  
  
The room they entered was full. A large meeting. Coincidence? Or very bad sign?  
  
Jonas Kirby was standing in the front, where Lucius usually stood.  
  
Bad sign.  
  
"Se-ev-er-u-us." Voldemort hissed out his name.  
  
Bowing down on one knee. Not looking up, he answered. "My Lord."  
  
"You've been a busy boy, Se-ev-er-u-us."  
  
"My Lord?"  
  
"Jonas had a very interesting story to share with us."  
  
"It seems Se-ev-er-u-us, Jonas was lucky enough to witness a Pledging today. A very unusual  
thing to witness these days, is it not?"  
  
Ah. The Socratic method. Trust the human psyche to feel its most intimidated when faced with an  
angry teacher. Of course, the scaly skin, glowing eyes and marked penchant for cruelty certainly  
helped.  
  
"Yes." He agreed casually. "Very unusual."  
  
"Tell me Se-ev-er-u-us, what possessed you to do such a thing."  
  
"Sex." Simple. Base. Easy for him to understand.  
  
"As reasons go. That's not a bad one." A finger under his chin raised his eyes to meet  
Voldemort's, "But tell me Se-ev-er-u-us Why. Harry. Potter."   
  
Anger. A lot of it. He had to appease him.  
  
"After I was... done... I thought it would be... easier to deliver him to you."  
  
Thoughtful silence, for a moment. "An interesting plan. Not without it's merit. Why not just tell  
me?"  
  
This was going to hurt. "I was taking the initiative."  
  
"How very thoughtful. Next time however, Se-ev-er-u-us, Come. To. Me. First." *CRUCIO!*  
  
_________  
  
Harry's nerveless fingers dropped the glass of pumpkin juice on the table. His eyes went wide and  
he paled.  
  
Dumbledore was out of his seat and at Harry's side in an instant.  
  
The rest of the teachers and students in the room, which weren't many, looked confused.  
  
"Poppy!" He yelled, urgently.  
_________  
  
"You should know better Se-ev-er-u-us."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm sure you are." *CRUCIO!*  
_________  
  
Harry gasped and tightened his fingers around Dumbledore's arm.  
  
"Help me get him to the hospital wing."  
  
Dimly he could feel two sets of arms go around him.  
_________  
  
"Lucius!"  
  
"Yes My Lord?"  
  
"Have your fun."  
  
"Yes, My Lord."  
_________  
  
"Oh god."  
  
"Harry, what's wrong?"  
  
Gasp. "Was.... curse... now-" His eyes were closed, skin clammy, "...something... oh god...  
sharp."  
  
"Albus, what's going on?"  
_________  
  
He could feel the blood dripping down his stomach.  
  
Cut. Wait. Cut. Cut. Wait. Cut. Cut. Cut. Wait. Wait.  
  
Never know when the next one comes. One consolation was that Lucius knew what he was  
doing. Maximum pain, minimum damage.   
  
He wouldn't die. No. Voldemort looked was entirely too happy with his plan.  
_________  
  
He couldn't get enough air. Every breath hurt.  
  
A flurry of robes ran into the room. "Albus!"  
  
"Minerva." He acknowledged.  
  
Harry moaned and clutched his stomach.  
  
"What's happening, Albus?"  
  
He distantly thought that she sounded so sad.  
_________  
  
Thwap!  
  
The sound of flesh hitting flesh. No more knives then.   
  
Fists. Feet. Elbows. Knees.  
  
"Next time I hope you remember to confide in me Se-ev-er-u-us."  
  
"Yes..." He managed to croak out.  
_________  
  
Another choked moan. The pain had changed.  
  
"How much longer Albus?"  
  
"I wish I knew."  
_________  
  
SNAP!  
_________  
  
A scream.  
_________  
  
SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!  
_________  
  
Sobbing.  
  
"Oh, Harry..."  
  
Curl up in a ball. Don't think.  
  
Quiet. Nothing.  
  
It was over. Oh god it was over.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"No more... Done..."  
  
"Sleep Harry. I'll wake you when he's back."  
  
  
Part 6  
  
"...Hagrid found him at the edge of the forest..."  
  
...  
  
"...they're shallow cuts... so many..."  
  
...  
  
"...how many broken bones..."  
  
...  
  
Everything hurt.  
  
As an idle thought, Harry tried to count the number of muscles in his stomach simply based on the  
aches.  
  
Attempting to roll over ripped a moan from his hoarse throat.  
  
"Awake then?" The Headmaster.  
  
"No." He wasn't up to having any more uncomfortable conversations.  
  
A small chuckle. "We have to stop meeting like this, young man."  
  
"Believe me headmaster, no one would like that more than me." Remembering why he hurt so  
much in the first place, he asked, "Is he alright?"  
  
"He's better." Dumbledore sounded so tired.  
  
"How long was I... asleep?" More like passed out cold.  
  
"You've missed breakfast."  
  
His head jerked up in surprise. "But I was just at lunch!"  
  
"That was yesterday." The Headmaster had this way of presenting obvious information as if they  
were completely new facts. It could be very annoying.  
  
Trying not to sound like he was begging. "Can I see him?"  
  
Worried eyes focused on him. "Is that wise Harry?"  
  
"I don't know." He sighed. "I don't know if it's the Pledge or because I felt everything that he  
went through. I just know that I need to see him."  
  
A slow nod. "All right Harry. I just wanted to make sure you knew your own mind."  
  
"That's knowing my own mind?"  
  
Dumbledore graced him with a smile. "Its close enough."  
  
The Headmaster led him to the other side of the ward. To a bed that was surrounded by a drawn  
curtain. Silently Dumbledore parted the curtain for him.  
  
Harry looked at the pale, prone figure unconscious on the hospital bed. Suddenly Severus Snape  
was frail and human. That scared Harry more than anything else.  
  
"I have some things I need to attend Harry. I'll be back in a little while."  
  
Harry nodded absently as the Headmaster left.  
  
There was a chair next to the bed. Harry slowly sat down in it.  
  
This was ridiculous. He needed... he needed...  
  
His hand went out and gathered up a pale slender companion.  
  
Good.  
  
The others fingers flexed slightly and mingled with his.  
  
Better.  
  
But this was awkward. His back ached. His arm ached. His head ached.  
  
His bed was so very far away.  
  
And Snape looked so alone.  
  
Slowly. Carefully. He slid in next to the other man. Making sure that his arm and hand were the  
only things putting any pressure on anything, he closed his eyes. Then promptly, fell soundly  
asleep.  
_________  
  
The first thing he was aware of was a warm weight settled comfortably across his stomach. Next,  
a soft puff of air against his neck and a shifting, deeply breathing body next to his.  
  
Summoning some strength he cracked an eyelid open-  
  
-and was greeted with a mop of messy dark hair. He shifted an arm minutely so that his fingers  
could come into contact with the wild strands.  
  
"You will be the death of me one day, Mr. Potter." he murmured and took the opportunity to  
breathe in the younger man.  
  
He couldn't deny that this was the most comfortable he'd been... ever.  
  
It had been far too long since he'd felt another body laying next to his.  
  
It felt far too good.  
  
Far. Too. Good.  
  
And the feeling was back.  
  
He couldn't really bring himself to care.  
  
Looking down, dark eyes met green once more.  
  
"What is this, Professor?"  
  
Distance. He needed distance. "A magically induced hormonal reaction, Mr. Potter."  
  
"This doesn't feel hormonal."  
  
Look away, fool. "It's all hormonal, Potter."  
  
"Mush ball." A small smile.  
  
Oh god. That mouth. "Are you attempting to be more annoying than usual?"  
  
"Well you asked me not to do something that would annoy you while you were gone, I have  
about 18 hours to make up for."  
  
"So you decided to crawl, uninvited into bed with me?" Oh. Don't think that. His fingers buried  
themselves deeper into Harry's hair.  
  
"No, that was because I was tired and that chair was not made for sleeping in."  
  
He was tired? Didn't he have his own bed? "Why are you here anyway? Other than the obvious  
annoyances."  
  
"The Headmaster woke me up and I asked to see you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
The green eyes looked away and softly Potter explained. "I only had to feel what happened. You  
had to do so much more."  
  
Fingers tightened involuntarily. "You... felt... it?"  
  
A nod. "Did you scream? My throat feels like I screamed for hours."  
  
"Oh Harry." He gave up and pulled the younger body closer to his. Sliding his arms around the  
slender waist, he discovered an even better feeling than before. Belonging.  
  
"I'm sorry." Came a muffled voice from somewhere near his chest.  
  
"For what?" He started rubbing circles into the warm back he was holding.  
  
"This is my fault."   
  
Arms tightened around him. "I thought we'd established that earlier."  
  
"Does this bother you?"  
  
"This? I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific than that." Legs began to tangle.  
  
"Not being in control."  
  
"It might. It did. I'm just too tired to care right now."  
  
"Me too."  
  
A soft brush of lips where hair met skin. "Then go to sleep." Please.  
  
Eventually, soft snoring lulled him to sleep.  
  
Part 7  
  
The smell of something wonderful tickled his nose.  
  
"Severus." A persistent voice echoed in his head.  
  
He chose to ignore it. He was comfortable. Very comfortable.  
  
"Severus, you need to eat." The voice spoke again.  
  
He pulled the pliable body closer to him.  
  
"So does Harry."  
  
Harry?  
  
Potter!  
  
His eyes shot open.  
  
A smiling Headmaster's face swam before him.  
  
"There we go. Was that so hard?"  
  
He chose to respond with a glare.  
  
"I'm going to go talk to Poppy. Please take the time to wake Harry up and... disentangle  
yourselves. There are things we must discuss."  
  
Before he could answer, Albus had left.  
  
He allowed himself a small sigh and a brief tightening of arms.  
  
Then, "Harry, wake up."  
  
He got a mumble and a nuzzle for his efforts.  
  
Warm skin insinuating itself closer.  
  
He was starting to tingle.  
  
"Harry." A slight shake.  
  
Soft lips found his neck.  
  
"Potter!" Desperate now.  
  
"Mmm..wha?... whazzit?"  
  
"Get up now, before I throw you off the bed."  
  
The boy stretched, arching his back and letting out a low moan.  
  
It took every ounce of self control he had left, not to simply flip them both over and get  
reacquainted with the wonders of friction.  
  
"Food, Mr. Potter."  
  
"Mmmkay."  
  
"Please get up before the Headmaster returns. I don't know if I can deal with another of his all  
knowing smiles."  
  
His head shot up a startled look spread across his face. "The Headmaster? Was here?"  
  
"Brilliant deduction."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Eye roll. "That wasn't a compliment."  
  
"Could have fooled me." An impish grin mocked him.  
  
"Annoying boy! Get up and start eating." He pointed to the tray sitting next to the bed piled with  
food.  
  
Slowly Harry shifted. First the legs disappeared, then the warm, supple-  
  
No. The body. The body moved away.  
  
Then the arms. The arms that had been wrapped around him all night. They weren't unwrapping.  
They were sliding. Sliding across his torso as Harry moved back.  
  
Oh god. Please just go away.  
  
Go away and leave an old man and his desperation in peace.  
  
He'd stopped.  
  
Why had he stopped?  
  
Oh.   
  
His arms were still locked tightly around the boy.  
  
Another act of will and he let go.  
  
They were separate.  
  
Alone.  
  
God, where was Albus' annoyingly cheerful face when he needed it?  
  
They sat there and stared morosely into space.  
  
He watched Harry make a half hearted attempt at eating some chicken.  
  
Then he watched Harry throw the food down in disgust. "This isn't working."  
  
He arched an eyebrow. "Again, Mr. Potter. You're going to have to clarify your statement. I  
think I'm beginning to see root of your problems in essay writing."  
  
"This." Harry waved his arms in and all encompassing gesture. "This sitting in the same room.  
Being together but not... touching. I think its getting worse."  
  
"What makes you think that?" Don't say it. Let him be weak. Let him want.  
  
"Before I could.. I could make myself concentrate on something else. Now... all I can think is..."  
  
"Needing..." The word tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop it.  
  
"Yes." A low, breathy agreement. Then an explosion. "I hate this! This is my life! My body!"  
  
"Yes it is."  
  
Harry shook his fist and leaned forward. "Damn it! Get angry! DO something!"  
  
"I am doing something Mr. Potter. I'm sitting here." He dared to meet those eyes again. "Doing.  
Nothing."  
  
"Oh I see. I get angry. You get even less human."  
  
Oh. That. Infuriating. Boy. "Human, Mr. Potter?" A deadly whisper. "Tell me, what is more  
human?" Straining towards Harry. "Sitting here?" He gestured to himself. "Or," deep breath,  
"dragging you bodily back into this bed and-" Stop. He had to stop.  
  
"What?" Harry sounded breathless.  
  
They stared at each other taking ragged gasps.  
  
He sat back. "Nothing. Mr. Potter. Absolutely nothing."  
  
They stared at each other some more.  
  
"Eat something." He ordered tersely.  
  
"I can't. It takes too much attention away from..."  
  
"Right. Here." He offered a hand. Harry just stared at him dumbly. "Take my hand Mr. Potter."  
  
"Oh." He did.  
  
Yes. Oh. Much better. He could breathe again. "Hand me a plate."  
  
They sat and chewed in silence until the Headmaster returned.  
  
Dumbledore observed their hands and asked, "Having problems?"  
  
Dryly. "That's an understatement."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and said, "We can't seem to separate."  
  
Bushy eyebrows rose. "Literally?"  
  
"Not quite."  
  
"I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific Severus."  
  
A snort came from Harry's general direction. The scathing glare he threw at the little twit only  
made him laugh harder.  
  
Through clenched teeth, he explained, "If. We're. Not... Touching. We. Can't. Do. Anything.  
Else." Then, as an afterthought. "I think I understand why the two parts of the ceremony were  
don so closely together."  
  
"I'm afraid I do too. I lost some time last night and consequently the charms are not done. I'll go  
finish them now. I'll come back and collect both of you tonight." He got up to leave.  
  
"Headmaster?"  
  
He turned back. "Yes, Harry?"  
  
"Ron and Hermione come back in 2 days. Is this... problem... going to be solved by then?"  
  
"It should be."  
  
But then there will be an entire load of other problems, won't there Albus.  
  
"I've told Poppy and Minerva. I was asked to give you each one of these," he showed them two  
small, blue bottles, "after you were done eating. Don't look at me like that Severus. Its just a  
sleeping drought. You both need to rest. You two won't be disturbed until I return."  
  
With a wave and a smile Dumbledore left them in peace.  
  
Still glaring at the space the Headmaster had occupied moments before. "Why can't that man ever  
say exactly what he means?"  
  
"Personally? I think he likes to annoy you."  
  
Observant bugger. "One day Mr. Potter, you may turn out to be more than an annoying boy."  
  
"One day you may learn how to give a compliment."  
  
"That was a compliment."  
  
"Uh huh." Gesturing with his hands. "Drink your potion and shove over."  
  
Grumbling. "I would remind you that I'm still your teacher." He moved over.  
  
Harry climbed in next to him. "And I would like to get some sleep that's actually restful."  
  
Strong arms, quidditch conditioned, wrapped around him. His allowed his hands to slide up and  
caress supple back muscles. Harry was nearly on top of him. Relaxing against him.  
  
This was getting more and more complicated and he didn't like it at all.  
  
Harry burrowed deeper. Entangling them further.  
  
Didn't like it. No matter how wonderful it felt.  
  
Part 8  
  
He felt ridiculous. Walking through the hallways. Holding hands.  
  
With Harry Potter.  
  
Talk about adding insult to injury.  
  
Never mind the fact that the wall was looking like a more and more appealing place to throw the  
boy against and-  
  
He was doing it again.  
  
Whatever Albus had planned had better work.  
  
For some reason he didn't have faith in Albus's 'don't-worry-Severus-just-trust-me-and-  
everything's-going-to-be-alright' smile.  
  
They'd stopped walking.  
  
At his rooms? Why on earth where they here?  
  
It better not be because - "Albus. You told me you found a way around the... urge."  
  
"I did, my dear boy. I just thought you'd be more comfortable here."  
  
"Why can't you just tell me what you did." He was perilously close to whining. Too much time  
with the boy.  
  
The headmaster turned his twinkling eyes on him. "What would be the fun in that?"  
  
Meddling old coot. Damned, manipulative, annoying, know-it-all-  
  
"Severus, are you going to let us in?"  
  
Wordlessly he walked up to the portrait and touched it in several places.  
  
It swung open noiselessly.  
  
"Now what, Headmaster?"  
  
"Why, we go in, of course."  
  
"Brilliant." Must learn not ask questions like that.  
  
He swept in, forgetting that his hand was still hopelessly entwined with another's. That is, he  
forgot, until he stepped forward , sharply tugging the aforementioned hand, which caused the boy,  
whom he was studiously not thinking about, to stumble forward and shove him into the wall.  
  
Oh. Well. This was nice too.  
  
"Come children." A chiding voice sad. "None of that."  
  
Some days he really wished he could set fire to people using just his eyes.  
  
They managed to make it inside and sitting without anymore... incidents.  
  
"Now to get down to business."  
  
"Finally." This better work.  
  
"First. Practical matters. The rings. I've completed all but one of the charms."  
  
"I thought everything was ready." Harry spoke up.  
  
"It is. I just needed both of you for the last bit." The Headmaster revealed the two rings and  
handed one to each of them. "Place them in your left hands please. Good. Now close your hands  
and hold them out to me." Dumbledore took hold of each of them and muttered a few words.  
  
A flash of power went through him, then nothing.  
  
"That should be it. Hand each other your rings. They have to go on the same fingers. I suggest the  
ring finger, seeing as how that's where these rings were charmed to go in the first place."  
  
"Sir?"   
  
"Certain rings," He began, not willing to wait for the roundabout explanation the Headmaster  
would undoubtedly use, "usually ones intended to be passed down from generation to generation  
can have a charm put on them that... adjusts to the new wearer. Now please, put the damned thing  
on."  
  
"Oh." Harry fumbled a bit, but managed.  
  
He slid the ring on...  
  
...and something unclenched inside him.  
  
Harry looked similarly relieved.  
  
"Now for the rest."  
  
"NOW?" They said it at the same time. That probably wasn't good.  
  
"Calm down. Its just a few house keeping bits. Nothing serious."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "According to whom?"   
  
The Headmaster apparently chose to ignore that question, because he continued on as if he hadn't  
heard. "First , no one will see the rings if they don't know that they're there."  
  
"Obscurus." He nodded approvingly. "Good choice."  
  
"Thank you Severus. I thought so as well. Secondly the... attraction."  
  
Harry let loose an exasperated sound and jumped up. "Oh for gods sake. Just call it what it is!  
What did you do to fix the fact that we want to screw like minxes!"  
  
"Ah. Thank you, Mr. Potter, for ah, clarifying the situation."  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated." Harry turned away and continued in a lower voice, "In more ways  
than one."  
  
He wasn't the only one.  
  
Dumbledore continued. "I've repressed, or rather, sublimated the charm. I couldn't get rid of it,  
its embedded too deeply into the spell as a whole, but you'll be able to appease it in other ways."  
  
"Other ways?" What did the old man do now?  
  
"Ah. Hand holding. Erm. Sitting together. Mostly what you've already been doing."  
  
If it weren't for the other atrocities involved in the current situation, he'd almost enjoy Albus's  
discomfort.  
  
"Once a day, for a portion of time should do it." Turning to Harry. "Between me, you, Severus,  
Professor McGonagall, and Madame Pomfrey, there should be ample opportunity to remove you  
from your friends for an hour or two every day."  
  
"How long?" He had to know when he'd get his life back.  
  
"How long what, Severus?"  
  
"How long each night? How long into the future will we need this?" How long will he yearn?  
  
"Each night? An hour. Perhaps 2, especially in the beginning. As for the other... It depends on a  
great many things. The strength of the castor, the whimsy of the spell and probably the length of  
time that went by between the beginning of the casting and the end."  
  
"In other words, wait and see."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How very reassuring."  
  
"For now, however, I suggest that Harry stay here. None of his roommates stayed for the  
holidays. You need to show up for meals in the Great Hall, but other than that, your time is your  
own. I'll have the house elves send down some of Harry's things."  
  
Before he could say anything, the blasted man was gone.  
  
And they were alone.  
  
And they weren't touching.  
  
Well it was a start. He could think.  
  
Not well. Because foremost on his mind was the compulsion to gather the boy up in his arms. But  
he could think about other things as well.  
  
"I suppose this means you're going to give me even MORE detentions."  
  
A malicious sneer was his only answer. "I hope you're tired."  
  
"I'm impressed I'm still standing."  
  
He got up and headed towards the bedroom. "Then follow me."  
  
He watched Harry hungrily take in the room. "Don't tell me you were expecting something  
ridiculous like silver and green decor?"  
  
"No." Harry crawled under the covers. "Just chains."  
  
Shiver. God he needed to get laid.  
  
It would be so easy to-  
  
No. It. Wouldn't.  
  
Sighing he climbed into bed. With Harry Potter. Again.  
  
Somewhere, someone was laughing, very hard.  
  
He was in the middle of creating a very gruesome death when an arm snaked across his chest.  
  
And he thought he'd been relaxed before.  
  
With a mental sigh, he took the hand in his own and settled down to sleep.  
  
  
Part 9  
  
Oooh.   
  
Niiiice.  
  
Very, very nice.  
  
He rolled his hips forward again.  
  
Extraordinary.  
  
Beautiful even.  
  
Arms tightened around him and-  
  
ARMS?  
  
Shit!  
  
He rolled away, scooped up his robe and ran for the bathroom.  
  
Well that probably ruined his image forever.  
  
15 minutes later he returned to the bedroom and was greeted by the sight of Harry semi-conscious  
in his bed.  
  
"Wake up, Harry."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Annoying boy. "Because otherwise you will miss breakfast completely."  
  
"Mmkay." He didn't move.  
  
"Mr. Potter!"  
  
This time he sprang up. "What? I'm up! I'm up!"  
  
"I am going to the Great Hall. Do get dressed and do the same."  
  
"Right. Morning. Food."  
  
"I hope you're not expecting some sort of reward for that stunning display of intelligence. Now  
get dressed and go to breakfast. You haven't been seen in the Great Hall for nearly a day. You're  
more likely to be missed than I am."  
  
He waited just long enough so see Harry climb out of bed before turning to leave.  
  
As an after thought he called over his shoulder, "I'll spell the door so that you can get back in.  
Just touch the upper left corner, the upper right corner and then the nose."  
_________  
  
Breakfast had been... interesting.  
  
The first time they had been in the same room for a prolonged amount of time without the  
freedom to touch.  
  
While not exactly torture. It wasn't heaven either.  
  
Playing with the ring helped.  
  
He'd returned to his rooms as soon as possible. They needed to get used to this. Needed to  
understand what they would be dealing with.  
  
He'd gotten through nearly a months worth of lesson plans before the crawling of skin overtook  
his concentration.  
  
Throwing down his quill in disgust, he buried his face in his hands.  
  
A squeak. The door.  
  
Harry.  
  
He left his desk.  
  
Harry stood in front of the door looking as uncomfortable as he felt.  
  
Their eyes met and Snape gave a brief nod of acquiescence.  
  
That was all Harry needed. He was across the room and in his arms so quickly they nearly  
toppled.  
  
Though any annoyance he may have felt dissipated as quickly as the crawling of his skin had.  
  
"How long was that?" Came a muffled voice.  
  
He repositioned his head so that it lay gently on top of Harry's. "About two hours. Maybe more."  
  
"I'm think I'm very glad the Headmaster has me staying here. Is it going to be like this  
tomorrow?"  
  
Slow strokes down his back. "I don't know. Perhaps it just needs time."  
_________  
  
Lunch and dinner passed without similar experiments. Neither wanted to repeat them.  
  
Evening found them laying on the couch.  
  
"Professor, how are the rings supposed to help?"  
  
He glanced longingly at his book, but he couldn't begrudge the boy the right to know anything  
about this situation.  
  
"Did you feel the surge of power when the Headmaster did the charm?"  
  
A nod. "Yes."  
  
"That charm infused the rings with our, for lack of a better word, aura. In essence we're carrying  
around a piece of each other."  
  
Harry looked at him for a moment then snorted lightly. "That's a ridiculously romantic notion."  
  
Especially in relation to them. "Believe me, no one more than I, is aware of that."  
_________  
  
They were in bed. Much to his chagrin, the novelty was starting to wear off.  
  
"I think class is going to be hard."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "There you go with those amazing leaps of logic, Potter."  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
"Good for you. Go to sleep." He tightened the embrace and closed his eyes.  
  
"No." Damn the boy. "We need a plan."  
  
Dryly. "There's a phrase that could strike terror into the hearts of even the strongest men."  
  
Harry's head turned to glare directly at him. "You're really annoying."  
  
"Watch it Potter. You're lucky I haven't taken house points from you already."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Fine deduct points. 10 points from Gryffindor for annoying a professor in bed.  
Now please listen to me."  
  
Giving up. "Fine. Potions class. A plan. What did you have in mind?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "Nothing specific. Just, we do things unconsciously and it's the last class of the  
day. We won't have had a chance to do... anything."  
  
"I'll think of something. Now will you go to sleep?"  
  
"What about tomorrow?"  
  
"I'm sure an opportunity will present itself."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Look! I don't know how *you* recover from several hours of torture, but I for one would like  
to get some rest!"  
  
Harry had gotten incredibly still.  
  
"I'm sorry." Whispered so quietly, he barely heard it.  
  
"Its not- Its just-" He sighed. "The house elves will return your things in the morning. The  
Headmaster will doubtlessly be able to find some excuse to bring you to his office. Rumors about  
your stay in the infirmary will have most likely made it to you friends already. Attribute both the  
visit to the hospital wing and Albus's office to Voldemort, its true enough anyway. I'll meet you  
in there."  
  
"I didn't mean..."  
  
"I'm just very tired Harry. I imagine you are too."  
  
Harry's hand snaked up and carefully brushed his cheek. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."  
  
"Then don't." A careful brush of lips across fingers. "Now sleep."  
  
Part 10  
  
He supposed, in hindsight, he was surprised it hadn't happened earlier. But then, he'd probably  
been too tired to do anything *but* sleep... and molest sleeping children.  
  
It began slowly. One sense at a time.  
  
Hearing.  
  
A laugh. Low and evil. Snakelike.  
  
Smell.  
  
Sweat. Blood.  
  
Taste.  
  
Something coppery.  
  
Sight.  
  
Glowing eyes.  
  
Touch.  
  
Pain. Wave after wave.  
  
He didn't remember when he'd started. But he was screaming. Begging. Pleading... Crying...  
  
Then.  
  
Hands. Arms. Being held. Someone stroking his back.  
  
Whispering in his ear. Rocking back and forth.  
  
"...shhh... take it easy... just a nightmare... you're not there.... shhh...."  
  
He grabbed onto that comfort. Held for dear life.  
  
"Professor? Are you ok?"  
  
He was vaguely aware that they had become more tangled than they ever had before. Both of  
them were sitting up, legs crossing each others at right angles. He had his head buried in Harry's  
neck and his arms wrapped tightly around Harry's waist. Harry was in a similarly wrapped around  
him.  
  
A few deep breaths. "I'm sorry," he croaked out.  
  
Arms tightened around him. "Don't be."  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"About time to wake up."  
  
"Oh good." They didn't move. Which was perfectly fine for him. He was very comfortable.  
  
"Is it as strange for you as it is for me?"  
  
"Waking up from a nightmare?"  
  
"No...uh.. Being.... attracted... to.. Uh... men..."  
  
"Oh." That's a question he should have anticipated.  
  
"I don't mean to pry but... I can't really talk to anyone else about it... I mean, Professor  
McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey aren't guys and just thinking about Headmaster Dumbledore  
and sex in the same sentence makes me itchy. Its not like anyone would believe me if I tried to  
win the pool anyway."  
  
"The POOL?!" WHAT?  
  
"Joking."  
  
That intolerable boy. "Not the best way to open the conversation."  
  
"Yeah well. I'm tense. When I'm tense, I joke. When you're tense, you go on long tirades about  
the inherently stupid nature of existence. We all have ways of dealing."  
  
"Thank you for that terribly simple psychoanalysis."  
  
"You're welcome. So.. Is it?"  
  
"Strange? Am I having a mid-life crisis?" He wasn't awake enough to have this conversation.  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Are you?" Avoid. Avoid.  
  
"Having a mid-life crisis? No. But I wouldn't rule out shear unadulterated terror."  
  
"Terror?"  
  
"I was.. Just beginning to know... me... my place in the universe and then WHAM! Suddenly  
you're there with your eyes and your hands and your skin and you yank the carpet out from under  
me. Then you confuse me more by not making this as unpleasant as possible. I just... its very  
confusing. The proof of that would be the ridiculous confession that I just made."  
  
"Yes." Silence. "I'm not sure what to say, what you need me to say."  
  
"I don't know, either." The fingers in his hair dug in further.  
  
"We should probably get up. Go to breakfast. You should get ready to meet your friends."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They untangled themselves. On his way to the bathroom, he turned around.  
  
"Harry." The boy looked up from the piece of bedclothes he'd been thoroughly examining.  
"Hands are hands. Mouths are mouths. People are people. Love is love. They just have many  
different forms." That was best he could do.  
_________  
  
Waiting at the table for his friends to come in felt like sitting in the same room as Snape and not  
being able to touch him. Oh wait. He was doing that too.  
  
That disturbing thought aside. He was looking forward to seeing them again. He was not,  
however, looking forward to classes and lying to them, being separated from Snape.  
  
Again with the disturbing thoughts.  
  
"Harry!"   
  
He'd know that chorus of voices anywhere. "Ron! Hermione! How were your vacations?"  
  
"Terrific!" Hermione  
  
"Amazing!" Ron..  
  
They sounded terribly loud. His thumb went to caress the ring sitting on his finger.  
  
"Are you done Harry? Mum fed us before we got on the train. Let's go to common room to talk."  
On any other day it would have been a terrific idea.  
  
The common room meant leaving the Great Hall. Meant leaving Snape.  
  
He nodded.  
  
He had to get used to it after all. Its wasn't like he could sleep with the man anymore.  
  
Oh. There was another one of those thoughts that made his head spin. For a number of reasons.  
Most of them disturbing.  
  
Just before they left the Great Hall, Harry turned his head frantically searching. Thankfully Snape  
had been aware of his imminent exit. Their eyes met briefly. A quick nod. He understood. Good.  
  
He hurried to catch up with his friends before they'd realized he'd lagged behind.  
_________  
  
Ron had somehow coerced him into playing chess. On a normal day he would have gotten the  
pants beaten off him. Today, however, he was being strung up by his thumbs.  
  
And bit by bit his concentration was eroding.   
  
Keeping up a chess game, no matter how pathetic, and his end of the conversation, all at once,  
was quickly becoming too much. His only hope was that Snape felt similarly and was doing  
something about it.  
  
He was about to give up and call it a night when the portrait swung open and the Headmaster  
peeked in.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Headmaster." He must have sounded ridiculously relieved.  
  
"Ah there you are. Madame Pomfrey's been looking for you. Why don't you come with me."  
  
"Of course Headmaster."  
  
"Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Oh. Its nothing, I'll tell you about it when I get back."  
  
They were gone before anyone could say anymore.  
_________  
  
He was escorted to Dumbledore's office and left at the door with a password and a smile.  
  
"Sugarquills"  
  
Door the door opened and...  
  
Oh.  
  
Just looking felt good.  
  
"Come inside." Snape's voice sounded a little ragged.  
  
He was inside and holding the other man almost as fast as the last time. "How long?"  
  
"Nearly 7 hours." Arms closed around him.  
  
Secure.  
  
Safe.  
  
"Well. Maybe classes won't be so difficult."  
  
Snort. "So says the person who doesn't feel the need to actually concentrate on his studies."  
  
"Can is ask a personal question?"  
  
"Another in your long line of intrusive inquiries Potter? However could I resist?"  
  
"Why did you join the Death Eaters?"  
  
"I don't know. Why did you become a Quidditch player?"  
  
"What does one have to do with the other?"  
  
"Would you have become seeker if all of your friends hadn't thought it was a wonderful idea. If  
the people you looked up to hadn't set you on that path in the first place? If your father hadn't  
been one as well?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Our ideas about the world are shaped by those around us. Sometime we're not lucky enough to  
be surrounded by the better half. Sometimes you have to claw your way into the light instead of  
just standing there and letting it shine."  
  
He could have been a poet. "I... I'm sorry."  
  
"You keep saying that like its going to make a difference."  
  
He looked up, for the first time, deliberately meeting those dark eyes. "Sometimes you have look  
around to make sure you're not already in the light. Sometimes, its just nice to hear someone say  
it."  
  
Part 11  
  
Ron and Hermione were waiting for him when he got back 3 hours later.  
  
"Where were you?" An accusation from Ron.  
  
"The hospital wing." And so the lying began.  
  
"For three hours?" Hermione charged.  
  
"I went to the Headmaster's office after." Truth. He liked the truth.  
  
"To do what?" Ron again. Did they practice this?  
  
"Talk." This omission thing wasn't that bad.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us what happened?" Hermione looked more hurt than angry.  
  
"You're going to have to be more specific." Bugger. Starting to sound like him.  
  
"You. The Great Hall. Screaming like a madman. Spending a day in the infirmary." Ron really had  
this habit of overreacting.  
  
"Oh." Don't admit anything.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well that explains everything."   
  
"Oh good. Then I'll just be going to bed."  
  
Both at once. "Stop right there!"  
  
So close.  
  
"What's going on, Harry?" Ah. The sincerity of friendship. Women sure knew how to use  
emotions.  
  
"Nothing. Really! I just didn't want to worry you." Or take the risk of them trying to get him  
committed.  
  
Hermione walked up to him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was all he could do not to  
shake her off. "I'd feel better if you'd just tell us what happened."  
  
Shrugging lightly. "It not as big a deal as you're probably making it. Voldemort was being  
especially cruel. That's all."  
  
Ron's looked at him earnestly. "Is he planning something?"  
  
"Isn't he always?"  
  
"Harry." Hermione had this annoying habit of sounding like McGonagall.  
  
"I know. I know. I've been talking to the Headmaster. Don't worry. Please. I'm fine. I swear."  
  
She sighed and hugged him. "We were just worried."  
  
"So what happened?" Ron asked.  
  
He pulled out of the hug as quickly as possible. "I... I'd really rather not talk about it."  
  
"If you ever feel ready, we're always willing to listen."  
  
"Thanks. Really. I just want to sleep." He went to his room, throwing a goodnight over his  
shoulder.  
_________  
  
Sleeping was strange. He'd gotten used to wrapping himself around another person. The strangest  
moment came when he realized his pillow smelled wrong. Rather, when he realized *why* his  
pillow smelled wrong. Of course that was a precursor to an all out panic attack over *what* he'd  
been using as a pillow for the last three days. That was followed by the near stroke at the  
realization that he missed his... pillow.  
  
He was only slightly uncomfortable during breakfast, but his next bit of free time was looking very  
far away.  
  
Under the pretense of drinking, he let his eyes wander to the head table.  
  
Looking helped.  
  
Snape seemed to have a similar opinion.  
  
No. Wait. He was trying to tell him something.  
  
He watched Snape slowly and deliberately stand up and leave, using the back entrance.  
  
"Uh, Ron. Hermione. I forgot something in my room. I'll meet you in charms."  
  
"Ok Harry." Hermione didn't even look up from her book.  
  
"Sure." Ron didn't look up from his food.  
  
Once in the corridor her wasn't sure what to do. The potions master was no where to be found.  
  
A hand on his shoulder. "This way."  
  
He jumped. "AH! Don't *do* that!"  
  
A raised eyebrow was the only response he got.  
  
He followed Snape to the Charms corridor.  
  
"Walking me to class? They say romance is dead."  
  
"Watch it, Potter. I just thought it'd be better, if you were observed, to be running through the  
charms corridor rather than from the direction of the dungeons."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Quite." Snape gestured at the wall. "Through here, Mr. Potter."  
  
All he saw was an archway embedded in the wall. "Through where?"  
  
"Have faith, Mr. Potter."  
  
Snape stepped behind him and pushed forward into the wall and-  
  
Pop!  
  
They were in a small corridor. He could see the main hallway, but he was fairly certain that the  
opposite was not true.  
  
"How?"  
  
There was a faintly amused look on his face. "The Headmaster has insured the castle's  
cooperation."  
  
"Ah." That explained absolutely... nothing.  
  
Snape extended a hand and barely grazed his cheek. "We have limited time. I suggest we make  
use of it."  
  
Harry leaned into the touch but stayed where he was. "Practical as always." He would not fling  
himself at the man this time.  
  
Snape stepped forward.  
  
Thank god.  
  
And stopped. Opened his arms wide and asked, with as much innocence as that man could  
possibly have. "Didn't you miss me?"  
  
Glare. Oh for the... He gave up.  
  
Much better.  
  
As far as bodies went Snape wasn't -  
  
NO.  
  
They savored the contact for a few moments. "How much time is left?"  
  
Snape murmured. "A few minutes."  
  
Sigh. "We're going to have to do this again."  
  
"Probably."  
  
"I have Quidditch practice."  
  
"I know. After then."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"I'll make sure the Headmaster needs a word with you."  
  
"I should go to charms." He held on tighter.  
  
"Probably."  
  
"You should go rescue your classroom."  
  
The body under his hands stiffened and removed itself from his embrace. "Go to class Mr. Potter.  
I shall see you later."  
  
He was gone.  
_________  
  
The snitch. The snitch. He had to find the snitch.  
  
Heeeeere snitchy snitchy snitchy.  
  
There! He swooped down.  
  
Weave left. Right. Up.  
  
Twist.  
  
This wasn't bad. He could ignore the itch.  
  
He never saw the bludger coming.  
  
Part 12  
  
He felt like an idiot.  
  
Arranging secret rendezvouses with Harry Potter.  
  
To top it all off, he'd never been more aware of another human being in his entire life. Despite the  
help the rings provided him, spending hours wrapped around the boy didn't do much for his self  
control.  
  
He checked the potion that was simmering in front of him. Perfect, the Headmaster should be  
taking Harry in for a private conversation just at is was done.  
  
He was returning some ingredients to the cabinet when something hit him in the stomach. He fell  
to his knees with a loud, "Oomf!"  
  
"What was-" His speculation was cut off by an even more intense pain that exploded through his  
ribs, ankle and wrist.  
  
The world spiraled.  
  
Black spots dance across his eyes and he struggled to remain conscious.  
  
He didn't succeed.  
  
The next thing he saw was the Headmaster's face hovering over him. Again.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"That's it, Severus. Let's get you to the Hospital Wing."  
  
He leaned on Albus, attempting to get up. "What happened?"  
  
"It seems young Harry has had a slight accident."  
  
He'd managed his knees. Now for the rest of the way. "And I..."  
  
"Felt it. Yes Severus. You always were quick."  
  
He was standing, barely. He offered a muted glare. "And you call that slight?"  
  
Albus smiled. "Come Severus, to the infirmary."  
  
It must have looked strange. The two of them walking through the hallways.   
  
Him leaning heavily on Albus's shoulders. Probably looking like he'd been run over by a heard of  
angry students.  
  
As they approached the door, he could see Poppy shooing away two students.  
  
"Now, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger. He'll be fine. He just needs rest. You'll see him tomorrow at  
breakfast." The medi-witch caught sight of them approaching. "Oh Severus! What happened?"  
  
He found himself facing one pair of startled eyes and two sets of gawking onlookers.  
  
"...slight accident..." He managed. The walk there hadn't done him any good.  
  
She took him from the Headmaster's arms. "Inside right away."  
  
He was brought directly to Harry's bed.  
  
He looked at Poppy, "You knew?"  
  
"Deary, do I look stupid? Don't answer that. Suffice it to say that those two young, inquisitive  
minds now have a suitably ambiguous rumor to spread."  
  
"What house where you sorted into when you were in school."  
  
"That's none of your business young man. Now get into bed."  
  
Pushy.  
  
He gratefully sank down into the bed. Immediately, he felt hands reach for him.  
  
Surprised, he asked, "You're awake?"  
  
"I haven't taken my potion yet."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Lay down please. She's taken care of most of the bruises."  
  
He removed his boots and slid under the covers.  
  
The amount of comfort he received by simply wrapping his arms around Harry was mildly  
disconcerting.  
  
The boy sighed. "I think I missed this."  
  
Curious. "This?"  
  
"Don't ask me to get more specific. I don't think I can."  
  
"Recognizing your limitations is the first step."  
  
Harry merely snorted and burrowed deeper.  
  
A thought occurred to him. "Is that what it was like?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"When you felt... me."  
  
A tense moment, then. "A bludger to the stomach versus several hours of torture is hardly the  
same thing, Professor."  
  
"I'm sorry." He really was.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Not really your fault."  
  
Something inside felt incredibly light. "Thank you."  
  
"For what?" Confusion.  
  
"No one's ever actually said that."  
  
"That its not your fault?"  
  
"Yes." Was this what forgiveness felt like? Strange.  
  
Earnest eyes looked up at him. "Well, it's not."  
  
His fingers came up to caress soft hair. Then slid down and brushed against a smooth neck.  
  
Harry leaned into his touch.  
  
"Thank you." He couldn't keep the roughness out of his voice.  
  
"You're welcome." Not more than a shaky whisper.  
  
A tentative hand wound its way up his body leaving a trail of sensation behind it.  
  
"Harry..." God, was he trembling. His voice had taken on a husky timber.   
  
That hand found its way to his face and started slowly tracing the outline of his lips.  
  
Harry began to whisper. "Its so strange... This feeling I have when you're in the room... or when I  
crawl into your arms..."  
  
"Please stop..." A weak plea wrenched itself from his lips.  
  
"...I know that there's more... and I can't help but wonder... but we're not supposed to... but even  
the thought... of touching someone else makes me queasy..." All delivered in the same soft,  
wondrous voice.  
  
"Harry, listen to yourself. We can't. When this wears off, you'd be horrified." Listen to him.  
Please god, listen to him.  
  
"I don't think I would be. A few days ago... maybe... But not now." Before he could react, Harry  
darted forward.  
  
Oh. Lips.  
  
Soft. Malleable.  
  
Sweet. So sweet.  
  
He resisted.  
  
A wet, lithe tongue darted out and tasted him.  
  
He gasped.  
  
The tongue, apparently recognizing a tactical advantage and plunged inside.  
  
He groaned and crushed Harry against him.  
  
Returning the kiss with a fervor that he'd never known before.  
  
Hands clutched at him. Legs tangled and found purchase.  
  
And oh god. This felt so good.  
  
This kiss went on. Harsh panting and wet smacking, a strange accompaniment.  
  
The boy was writhing against him. Causing great rippling sensations.  
  
So good.  
  
Oh god. So good.  
  
"NO!" He rolled off the bed and sprawled on the floor.  
  
Gasping for breath. "We can't, Harry. We have to remember. It's not real."  
  
Harry was taking deep, gulping breaths. "Right. The urge to jump you and swallow you whole.  
Not real. Got it."  
  
Oh. That.   
  
He closed his eyes tightly.  
  
That was almost as good as touching.  
  
He wordlessly offered the potion.  
  
Something passed through those green eyes. But the potion was swallowed without protest.  
  
"Sleep, Harry. Just sleep."  
  
Only after the boy's breathing had evened out did he climb back into the bed.  
  
Part 13  
  
He woke up several hours later, curled around Harry.  
  
He took a few moments of peace before slowly unfurling himself.  
  
He slipped his boots on and shuffled out of the hospital wing in silence.  
  
It was still several hours before breakfast and the corridors were dark and empty.  
  
"Severus."  
  
Almost. "Albus."  
  
"You should be in bed." Chiding.  
  
"If you'll let me return to my chambers," Please let him go. "I'd be more than happy to return to  
bed."  
  
"Why not just go back to the bed you were very comfortably occupying a few minutes ago."  
  
He cursed the inventor of the reasonable suggestion.  
  
"Because even my self control has its limits."  
  
Albus looked worried. "The rings..."  
  
"Help. Some."  
  
"Perhaps you should try to spend-"  
  
"I know where he is all the time now." He interrupted. "All I have to do is close my eyes and  
think about him. Its like knowing where my feet are, even when I can't see them."  
  
"Are you alright?" More serious now.  
  
"No, Albus." He closed his eyes and leaned heavily against the wall. "I am not alright."  
  
"I'll do more research tomorrow. See if I can sublimate it any further."  
  
"I feel like a monster."  
  
"That is one thing you are not." The voice was stern. The usual humor gone.  
  
He looked up into very serious blue eyes. "I'm tired Albus. I... itch... all the time."  
  
The Headmaster gathered him into a hug. Despite the immediate compulsion to push him away, it  
was immensely comforting.  
  
"I *will* find something for you, Severus. I promise."  
  
"Thank you, Albus."  
  
"Come, let me walk you to your rooms."  
_________  
  
Ron stood in the corridor watching them go.  
  
So the git had a conscious, eh?  
  
Who would have thought? Not him certainly.  
  
Though, he had looked fairly unhappy through most of the conversation. Not that, that was  
something very new. Most of the conversation hadn't made much sense to him anyway. Rings,  
phantom limbs and self-control, he stored it all away to share with Harry and Hermione later.  
  
Harry.  
  
It was probably a stupid thing to do. Take Harry's cloak and sneak through the halls to see him.  
But something had felt wrong with the way Madame Pomfrey had dismissed them earlier.  
  
Usually, they would have been able to sit with Harry until dinner. Maybe even later. This time,  
they'd been shooed out withing 10 minutes. He was worried that there was something she wasn't  
telling them.  
  
When he walked into the ward he noticed that all the beds were empty. Where is he?  
  
A private bed? Unusual.  
  
They were bigger. Usually used for the long term.  
  
That worried him even more.  
  
Harry was curled up on one side of the bed asleep. Something looked wrong.  
  
The bed.  
  
It looked... slept in.  
  
That was ludicrous. Of course it looked slept in.  
  
Harry was sleeping in it.  
  
But still. Something about the dent in the other pillow irked him.  
He watched Harry whimper in his sleep and roll over restlessly. He grabbed at the other pillow  
and clutched it closely. A few more seconds and he was settled down again.  
  
He didn't look bad.  
  
Maybe Madame Pomfrey was being cautious because Harry had just gotten out of the infirmary a  
few days ago.  
  
He watched Harry for a few more minutes then returned to his dorm room.  
_________  
  
He left Dumbledore at the entrance to his rooms with a goodnight.  
  
Trudging through the main room he snatched two bottles and proceeded to the bedroom.  
  
He undressed down to his boxers, sat on the edge of the bed, placed the bottles on a small table  
and stared at them.  
  
The same two bottles he stared at every other night he'd slept alone since this idiotic situation er...  
arose.  
  
One, lubricant. The other, a mood killer. Both would relax him enough to sleep.  
  
He'd been half hard since he'd gotten Potter to drink the damned potion.  
  
Since the stupid, willful, insolent, obnoxious, impudent, brazen, brat of a boy had-  
  
had...  
  
...seriously tested his self-control.  
  
Albus had faith in him.  
  
He didn't deserve it.  
  
With shaking hands he picked up the lubricant. Studied it.  
  
And threw it against the wall.  
  
The crash it made was surprisingly satisfying.  
  
He took the other potion and climbed into bed.  
_________  
  
"Hermione!" He whispered urgently.  
  
"What?" She turned a suspicious eye in Ron's general direction. She couldn't see him because he  
was still wearing the cloak.  
  
He was glad she was used to this sort of thing.  
  
"Meet me in the common room."  
  
She huffed a little but answered, "Fine."  
_________  
  
"Why did you wake me up?" She didn't look very happy.  
  
"I'm not sure. I was going to wait until morning, but something just won't let it rest."  
  
"Fine." She had on her 'go ahead tell me so that I can go back to sleep' face.  
  
"I snuck out to check on Harry-"  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"Just listen. I overheard a conversation between Dumbledore and Snape." He proceeded to relay  
as much of the conversation as he remembered.  
  
"Well, that does sound strange Ron, but I don't know if we should worry. Whatever it is, it's  
obvious that the Headmaster knows about it."  
  
"Yeah... its just... there was something." He closed his eyes and replayed the scene in his mind.  
  
Snape sneaking through the corridor.  
  
Dumbledore sneaking up behind him.  
  
Telling Snape he should be in bed.  
  
Something about self-control and rings.  
  
Snape being able to feel someone.  
  
Something catching his eye as Snape braced himself against the wall.  
  
Something... catching... his eye...  
  
On Snape's hand.  
  
"A ring!"  
  
"You said that already, Ron."  
  
"No! He was *wearing* a ring."  
  
"Where?" Now she looked intrigued.  
  
"On his ring finger, his..." He closed his eyes and pictured it again. "His left ring finger."  
  
"He's MARRIED?"  
  
His lips twisted in disgust. "That's a creepy thought."  
  
"Wait." Hermione looked confused. "Why haven't we noticed this ring before?"  
  
"Maybe its new?"  
  
"Maybe its being concealed?"  
  
"Maybe both?"  
  
"Maybe," she looked thoughtful, "you should go over everything you heard again. Don't leave  
anything out this time."  
  
Part 14  
  
He wasn't very happy when he walked into the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning.  
  
It was probably a combination of waking up alone, a fitful night's sleep and the ever persistent  
crawling of his skin.  
  
He absently rubbed the ring as he sat down opposite Ron and Hermione, who were already in  
deep discussion.  
  
"Morning." He mumbled distractedly, reaching for some food.  
  
"Harry! You're feeling better?" Hermione looked very happy to see him.  
  
"Yeah. Madame Pomfrey is amazing sometimes."  
  
"Harry, I've got to tell you what I overheard last night!"  
  
Harry gave Hermione a pleading look. It was too early in the morning for this.  
  
She shook her head. "You should listen to him, there's something strange going on."  
  
"Go ahead then."  
  
"I was sneaking down to see you."  
  
His head shot up. "Why?"  
  
"I was worried. S'not important. Anyway. I overheard a conversation between Snape and  
Dumbledore."  
  
Oh. This can't be good.  
  
"From what I heard. We think Snape's under some sort of spell!"  
  
Never should have encouraged him in first year. "What kind of spell?"  
  
"Not sure. But we think it may be related to Voldemort."  
  
Now that was interesting. "Why?"  
  
"Well. There were several things, he was referring to another person, said he could always tell  
where this mysterious 'he' was. Just close his eyes, like thinking about his hands or something."  
  
He could?  
  
He thought about Snape and suddenly knew he was about to...  
  
...walk in the Great Hall... wow...   
  
"Harry, are you listening?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah. Go on."  
  
"Then he talked about feeling like a monster."  
  
A monster? He wasn't a... God, if that's what Snape thought of himself... that might explain a lot.  
  
"That's when I heard Dumbledore mention something about rings. I didn't see them at the time,  
but thinking back, I *know* I saw him wearing a ring, on his LEFT ring finger."  
  
Shit. Deflect attention. "So, maybe he's married?"  
  
Ron looked at him.  
  
"Ok. Maybe not."  
  
In her best lecture voice. "What caught my attention is that no one's noticed the ring before, in  
fact Ron didn't even notice it when he was there. I think there's some sort of concealment spell  
on it." Hermione finished with a look of triumph.  
  
"And this led you to Voldemort?" He let disbelief lace his voice.  
  
Ron looked perplexed. "Just something about it. Snape didn't sound too happy and Dumbledore  
looked awful worried. What else could it be?"  
  
He shrugged. If they wanted to pursue that line, he wasn't going to stop them. Better they go off  
in the wrong direction than he try to stop them cold.  
  
He absently toyed with the ring again and glanced at the head table. Snape was getting ready to  
leave.  
  
"Ron. Hermione. I haven't had a chance to get back to my room and change my books. I'll meet  
you in Divination."  
  
"Sure."  
  
This time he didn't stop just outside the doors. Instead he headed towards the classroom.  
  
About halfway there, he noticed an archway he didn't ever remember seeing before.  
  
Just before stepping through he stopped. With careful deliberation he closed his eyes and thought  
about Snape and Knew. Knew that he was right behind the non-existent wall.   
  
This could almost be useful.  
  
Before he could continue forward a hand appeared from nowhere a pulled.  
  
Pop!  
  
He found himself chest to chest with Snape.  
  
"Don't waste time, Potter." Snape growled.  
  
The vibrations from Snape's chest tumbled through him with a fury.  
  
Last night had been such a stupid mistake.  
  
An amazing, wonderful, glorious mistake.  
  
One he might like to repeat.  
  
He burrowed deeper into the embrace. "Why did you leave last night?"  
  
"I thought it might be best if I returned to my own rooms."  
  
"How long did you stay?"  
  
"Long enough."  
  
"Did you and the Headmaster have a conversation in hallway last night?"  
  
The body beneath him went tense. "Yes."  
  
"I'm going to tell you something and you're not going to use it against anyone."  
  
An eyebrow go raised. "Anything else, sir?" Damn sarcasm.  
  
"No. That's all for now." Ha. Two can play that game.  
  
A long suffering sigh, then. "Fine. Tell me. But I make no promises."  
  
"Ron overheard the conversation."  
  
"That's... very... annoying... I trust he shared it with you and Ms. Granger?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"And what were their conclusions?"  
  
"That you're under some sort of spell. Something to do with Voldemort."  
  
Snort. "Creative little minds aren't they? What did you tell them?"  
  
"Not much. Just doubted them some. Couldn't do much more without suspicion."  
  
"I don't supposed you're willing to tell me what Mr. Weasley was doing in that hallway, anyway?  
Or why it is I did not see him?"  
  
He gave Snape and incredulous look. "Not on your life."  
  
"Insolent. I am still your teacher."  
  
Seriously. "Not right now, you're not."  
  
"May I remind you that in a few hours we will both have to stand in a classroom."  
  
"That's in a few hours. This is now."  
  
"As usual Mr. Potter, you have an alarming ability to bend reality to your liking."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"That wasn't a compliment."  
  
"We should probably try this again. Before class, that is."  
  
"I have a full day. Look for me at lunch. We'll see what we can do."  
  
"Ok." He looked deliberately into the potion master's eyes and traced a stern cheek with his  
fingers. "I don't think you're a monster."  
  
With that, he left.  
_________  
  
As it turned out. He spent most of his lunch dealing with a problem in the Slytherin common  
room.  
  
So when he stormed into his 6th year potions class, the itch increased exponentially.  
  
"Today you will working on a dreamless sleeping drought. Page 424."  
  
The class sat there looking up at him.  
  
"Well? What are you waiting for? The ingredients you'll need are set up in the back. GO!"  
  
They scattered.   
  
He allowed himself a small satisfied smile.  
  
Most of the class followed its usual pattern.  
  
He stalked around the classroom making a general nuisance of himself.  
  
Approximately two-thirds of the way in the itch was almost unbearable.  
  
Potter looked completely out of it.  
  
Well. Might as well have a bit of fun.  
  
"MR. POTTER!"  
  
He jumped about a foot in the air.  
  
"Would you care to tell me what is so interesting that it has taken all of your attention away from  
the precariously boiling cauldron in front of you?"  
  
"Ah, nothing sir." Potter began to haphazardly stir.  
  
"After six years, one would think you'd know how to stir a potion Potter." He stalked over and  
placed his hand over the boys and proceeded to stir the potion.  
  
A grateful look spilled out of Potter's eyes before the more appropriate annoyance took over.  
  
They couldn't stay like that for too long. Hopefully the thirty or so seconds would be enough.  
  
"Since you're obvious inattentiveness has ruined your potion, you can come to detention tonight  
and try it again."  
  
"Yes, sir." Came a slightly petulant response.  
  
"Good. Since its ruined-"  
  
"No! Neville!" Ms. Granger's frantic cry interrupted him.  
  
He turned just in time to see the cauldron begin to smoke.  
  
"Ms. Granger! What did he do?"  
  
"The wormtails before the ginger root!"  
  
Oh god! The stupid- where's the freeroot?- forgetful boy.  
  
Ms. Granger already had it in her hands. He snatched it and pushed her out of the possible blast  
range.  
  
"Move back!" He roared emptying the contents of the jar over the simmering brew.  
  
It was too late. He didn't get nearly enough in before the reaction started.  
  
It exploded.  
  
The class had already moved out of the way and he took the brunt of the flying cauldron.  
_________  
  
Harry saw it coming and braced.  
  
Hot white pain lanced through his stomach.  
  
His grip on the table tightened. His jaw clenched.  
  
He distantly heard Draco yell, "I'll get Madame Pomfrey!"  
  
Oh god. It hurt.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione had turned around and saw him clutching his stomach. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Fine." He gritted out. Unconsciously his thumb went to the ring. It helped. A bit.  
  
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "No. You're not."  
  
Breathe. In. Out.  
  
"You're in pain."  
  
"Never could fool you."  
  
"Why are you in pain?"  
  
"Quidditch? Yesterday? Took a bludger in the stomach. Fell off my broom?"  
  
"If it hurt that much, Madame Pomfrey would never have let you out." She put a hand on his  
shoulder. "What's going on, Harry?"  
  
He jerked away. "Nothing." Right. That was believable. His right hand joined his thumb's  
fondling of the ring.  
  
She looked down at his hands. Her eyes widened. "Harry, why are you... you... " She cast a quick  
look at Snape to wave away a student. Using his left hand. "Harry!"  
  
"Not here!" He hissed. "I need you to help me get to the hospital wing, without anyone else  
noticing.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Please."  
  
"Ok." She didn't look happy.  
  
He didn't imagine that, that would change anytime soon.  
  
Part 15  
  
Madame Pomfrey had given him a significant look before she left with Snape.  
  
Right before leaving, she turned to him. "Don't forget about your checkup, Mr. Potter."  
  
Bless you Madame Pomfrey.  
  
He turned to Ron, who had returned to his side after the commotion died down. "Go on. I've got  
to pack my things up, then I'm going to head down to the hospital wing. Get it over with."  
  
Ron nodded. "I'll see you at dinner then?"  
  
"Sure. Hermione. Could you come with me? I have an arithmancy question."  
  
"Sure, Harry."  
  
"Have fun you two, I'm off!" Ron was out of the room quickly. The mention of Arithmancy must  
have scared him away.  
  
When the door closed on the final students, he collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach. "Oh,  
that's not something I wanted to do again."  
  
"Again?"  
  
"It's a long story. Could we wait until I don't feel like I'm going to throw my entire stomach up  
whole?"  
  
"Well, between the rings and the pain, I have bits and pieces. I suppose I can wait for the rest."  
  
"Thank you. Now please. Help me up."  
_________  
  
The walk to the infirmary was made in a tense silence.  
  
Madame Pomfrey greeted them at the door. "Excellent timing Harry. I just got Professor Snape  
settled down." She eyed Hermione. "You don't need to stick around for his check up, dear. He'll  
be along soon."  
  
He shook is head tiredly. "Its ok, Madame Pomfrey. Could you just get the Headmaster?"  
  
The medi-witch looked at him intensely for a moment, then nodded. "He's in your usual suite. Go  
ahead in."  
  
Oh good. At least someone was having a good time.  
Hermione stood there looking confused. "Your usual suite?"  
  
"The teachers in this place have a twisted sense of humor. Come on. I'll explain in a minute." He  
led her into the back of the ward, to curtained bed that was obviously occupied.  
  
She looked a bit put out when he pulled the curtains apart without a warning to the person behind  
them.  
  
Of course that was nothing compared to the look she gave him when she realized that is was none  
other than Professor Snape who occupied the bed.  
  
Honestly. For such an intelligent person. She could be very dense.  
  
Tired, dark eyes looked up at him in question.  
  
He shrugged. "Was a pretty public place to get hit with an exploding cauldron."  
  
Comprehension. "I see."  
  
"I don't" Hermione added. Obviously a little impatient at being left in the dark.  
  
He began to take off his shoes. "In a few moments, I'm going to trust you not to scream."  
  
Once he was shoeless, he gracelessly climbed in beside Snape.  
  
He shifted a bit, so that he could face Hermione, and settled with his back against Snape's front.  
A hand snaked around his waist. He took it in his own.  
  
Hermione hadn't screamed.  
  
Though how much longer she was going to stay upright could have been up for debate.  
  
"Uh... Harry?" Tentative.  
  
"Yes, Hermione."   
  
"Are you feeling alright?"  
  
"Not particularly, no."  
  
A snort from behind.  
  
"Why did you just crawl into bed with..." She paused, as if completing the sentence would cause  
physical harm. "With Professor Snape."  
  
"Because, if we're going to have this conversation I needed to be able to concentrate."  
  
Another snort sounded from behind. He contemplated kicking the source. It might be worth the  
pain.   
  
"Concentrate?" Hermione didn't make the connection.  
  
Harry sighed and started at the beginning.  
_________  
  
"What on earth were you doing with that charm?" Another in a long line of detailed, invasive and  
vaguely embarrassing questions.  
  
"It was in a book called, 'Charms A - Z', I saw it and thought it might be useful. You know, pick  
up something to get ahead."  
  
"And you were reading the charm before you read *about* the charm." Where did she learn that  
impression of McGonagall, anyway?"  
  
"Not my best moment, I know." Hadn't he had this conversation?  
  
"AND you were waving your wand?"  
  
"Not waving precisely... sort of... fiddling."  
  
"Oh. Because *that's* completely safe." Oh no. He'd reduced Hermione Granger to sarcasm.  
  
"Believe me, I've been thoroughly lectured on the subject." He rolled his eyes and gestured  
behind him.  
  
Her demeanor changed immediately. "Oh Harry. Has it been horrible?" She was obviously  
referring to being forced to share close quarters with Snape.  
  
"Despite" A voice interrupted before he could answer, "what most people would have you believe  
Ms. Granger, I have it from reliable sources, that I am not a monster."  
  
She looked at him accusingly. "I thought you were asleep."  
  
"With you two nattering on like that?"  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry. You must be exhausted."  
  
"Miss Granger, I believe your reaction, and I don't doubt that there will eventually be others, was  
the best of the lot. It was a pleasure to listen to someone who will look at this on an intellectual  
level and not completely over react."  
  
She turned to him. "Was that a compliment?"  
  
"For him? Yeah."  
  
"Now please." Snape continued. "I'd like to get some sleep so that I can get through what will  
undoubtedly be another trying day. The Headmaster has been listening to this conversation for a  
good amount of time now. He can answer anymore questions you might have."  
  
A beared face appeared from behind the curtains. "Thank you, Severus."  
  
"Anything to get you out of my hair, Albus."  
  
Hermione looked back and forth between Snape and Dumbledore not sure what to make of the  
banter. She went for grateful student. "Thank you, Professor. Headmaster."  
  
Just as she was leaving. "Hermione."  
  
"Yes, Harry?"  
  
"Thank you... for not... for understanding..."  
  
"I'm your friend, Harry. What else could I do?"  
  
"Just the same, don't tell Ron."  
  
She studied him for a moment then nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, Harry." She was gone.  
  
Harry took the opportunity to turn around and assume their usual nap positions.  
  
Oh. Wow. Another on of those disturbing thoughts.  
  
"That went remarkably well." Snape commented.  
  
He chuckled lightly. "Wait until she puts together that conversation Ron overheard with what I  
told her today."  
  
"What could you have possibly left out?"  
  
"I know where you are all the time. The same for you."  
  
"True."  
  
"There's also..." He hesitated a moment. "I don't know how much of what Ron told me was true  
or his usual trimmings but... something about self-control..."  
  
"Ah yes... he would have heard that. Look, Potter, you needn't wor-"  
  
"It's the same for me." He interrupted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Everyday gets a little harder." Oh good. Nice time for the double entendres.  
  
A hand caressed his hair. "The Headmaster has promised me he'd look into the matter. Also,  
knowing Ms. Granger, she'll be hip deep in this as well."  
  
They lay there for a few moments in a comfortable silence.  
  
"I'm worried." He said suddenly.  
  
Surprised. "About what?"  
  
"A lot of things. Tonight. Tomorrow. Me. You."  
  
"Me?" More surprise.  
  
"When that cauldron exploded. I knew it'd hurt. But that's not really what I was thinking about."  
  
"You shouldn't concern yourself with nonsense."  
  
"Nonsense?"  
  
"These feelings that we have."  
  
"Nonsense?"  
  
"Focusing on them will only make it worse."  
  
"Nonsense?! Well its bloody well hard to focus on anything else!"  
  
"You're stating the glaringly obvious."  
  
He sat up. "Look! YOU may understand these feelings! May know what to do with them!  
Understand them! Know how to compartmentalize! But *I* don't! I've never felt this way before!  
Don't know if I ever will again! So please forgive me if I feel the need fully comprehend them!"  
He ended with his voice ragged.  
  
"Harry."  
  
"No!" Deep breath. Calm. "Not now. I'll see you in detention."  
  
He grabbed his shoes and left.  
  
Part 16  
  
He stalked into his empty classroom. He had 10 minutes before Harry was supposed to show up.  
  
Sitting down with a pile of essays, he spent those minutes doing absolutely nothing.  
  
But he did have a good glare.  
  
A squeak of the door signaled Harry's arrival.   
  
"You're late." He bit out tersely.  
  
Indignant outrage colored Harry's reply. "No, I'm not."  
  
"You are, if I say you are." He was the teacher. What he says, goes.  
  
"That's not fair."  
  
He answered with the air of someone who, most certainly knew better. "Life isn't fair." They  
stood there and stared at each other for a bit. Finally, he could take the tense silence no more.  
"Are you feeling better?" Good lord, why on earth ask that?  
  
"You don't care." That child certainly knew how to be petulant.  
  
Then again, so did he. "If I didn't care, I wouldn't ask."  
  
More staring, then finally, Harry asked, "How can this not affect you?"  
  
"I never said that it didn't."  
  
Harry began to pace back and forth restlessly. Finally, in a fit of frustration he threw his hands up  
in disgust. "I hate this!" He yelled.  
  
"This?" That's right. Be coy. That'll really help now.  
  
"This. This constant... want." Harry raised a hand to dismiss anything he might have said. "Don't  
you dare try to tell me its all hormones. I'm 16 years old. I *know* hormones. This isn't it. It may  
not be *real*, but its there." He punctuated it with a curled fist thumping against his chest. The  
tirade was delivered with anger and frustration and had left him panting.  
  
Beautiful.  
  
Eyes aflame with passion.  
  
Pale skin flushed and gleaming in the candlelight.  
  
One long, delicious throb went through his entire body.  
  
He resisted for a moment, but he was so tired of resisting.  
  
"You think I don't hate it as well? I... ache for you, Potter." He had to stop. Turn away.  
  
Step.  
  
"Every second..." This shouldn't go on.  
  
Step.  
  
"...of every minute..." Send the boy away.  
  
Step.  
  
"...of every hour..." Oh god. Don't let this happen.  
  
Step.  
  
"...of every DAY." He was breathing as if he'd just run a marathon.  
  
They were inches apart.  
  
"I. Ache. For. You."  
  
He ran a finger from temple to nape. "To touch your cheek."  
  
A foray into soft locks. "To stroke your hair."  
  
A firm grasp on each arm. "To take you in my arms and offer comfort."  
  
A quick tug. "To crush you against me."   
  
Harry let out a soft gasp. Instinctively hooking his arms up and around strong shoulders.  
  
Softly cupping a cheek. "To know you." Murmured so softly.  
  
Leaning forward. Lips barely touching lips. "Inside. And. Out."  
  
"If you stop now," Harry choked out in a harsh whisper, "I'll hex you."  
  
"I'm damned already." He closed the space between them.  
  
He captured those soft lips that had been taunting him for days. Worried one gently between is  
teeth before abandoning it for the hot, wet depth behind it.  
  
Chests heaving, their lips broke apart.   
  
He gently nipped the skin under Harry's ear. Then licked it. Tasted it. Soft, wonderful, clean skin.  
Better than he imagined. And he HAD imagined it. Despite vehement mental lectures.  
  
They were suddenly jarred by something.  
  
Oh, they'd been moving. They're run into a desk.  
  
What was Harry-  
  
Oh. On the desk.  
  
He settled between two strong legs, which instantly wrapped themselves around him.  
  
Full body contact.  
  
Closer than they'd ever been before.  
  
Just leaning in to capture those wonderful lips again caused sensations that nearly undid him.  
  
Oh god. They were moving. Swaying. Grinding.  
  
Completely in time.  
  
Lips and tongues and hands and arms all found purchase and added to the spiraling, dizzying,  
amazing feelings coursing through his body.  
  
Small gasping sounds filled the room.  
  
Belatedly, he realized that some of them were coming from him.  
  
But he didn't care.  
  
This was too perfect.  
  
So good.  
  
So close.  
  
So close. Yes. Oh yes. Oh yessss. Yes. Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes. Oh don't stop. Please. Don't  
stop.  
  
Too perfect. So completely, utterly-  
  
Bells?  
  
He stopped. Harry gave a frustrated whimper.  
  
BELLS!  
  
"Bells!" They yelled in unison.  
  
Warning bells.  
  
Attack bells.  
  
Shit.   
  
They ran.  
_________  
  
The Headmaster's office was already filled with teachers.  
  
"We've been given warning. But we still have very little time." The Headmaster stated.  
  
"What happened, Albus?" A teacher asked.  
  
"I think, in the end," Albus looked at him, "our little lie wasn't as believed as we thought it was."  
  
Everyone turned to him.  
  
Flitwick spoke up. "Harry. You should be in your rooms."  
  
"Harry is staying exactly where he is." Albus answered.  
  
No one questioned them any more.  
  
"Minerva. You, Severus, Harry and I will strengthen the wards. Poppy, prepare the hospital wing.  
Take any seventh years you think can help. Madame Hooch get the best school brooms and  
distribute them to the best Quidditch players. Everyone else. Take defensive positions around the  
castle. We'll be down as soon as we're done with the wards."  
  
With that, they all filed out.  
  
With grim determination, the four people left in the room began with the wards.  
  
Part 17  
  
It began so quickly, Harry didn't even have the chance to blink.  
  
One moment it was silent. The next, the swishing sounds of brooms permeated the air.  
  
They were like a dark malicious cloud on the horizon.  
  
He turned to Snape, who was standing closely next to him. "We might not survive this."  
  
"That's right, Potter. Look on the bright side."  
  
"One of us has to."  
  
They were getting closer now.  
  
Snape offered a hand. "Take it."  
  
"Why?" He asked, but did as he was asked anyway.  
  
Snape gave him a look that implied exactly how stupid he thought Harry was. "I would like to be  
able to concentrate for as long as possible."  
  
"Ah. Makes sense." It did.  
  
A small twitch of lips. "I often do." Snape turned his attention back to the sky.  
  
He shook his head. "Not to us mere mortals."  
  
"I see you finally understand your place in the universe."  
  
He said nothing, just pointed to the sky and pulled his cloak tightly around him. "They're here."  
  
The battle had begun.  
_________  
  
Snape flung curse after curse, at broom after broom.  
  
His job? Make sure Snape stayed alive. Everyone was working in pairs. One guarded the castle.  
The other, guarded them. It was a system that appeared to be working.  
  
After the first horrifying flash of green light, he no longer hesitated to use the most awful of  
curses. He'd said it so many times now, he didn't think he'd ever feel clean again.   
  
Ducking. Run. Keep as close as possible.  
  
He be damned if he let anything happen to Snape.  
  
During a slight lull, they took the opportunity to rest fully against each other.  
  
"How are you fairing?" Snape's voice was rough. He'd been yelling for a long time.  
  
"Tired. Very tired." Was all he could think to say. Something moved in the corner of his eye.  
  
He whirled.  
  
There. In the distance, a deatheater headed directly for them.  
  
Without thinking, he raised his wand and cursed the errant rider.  
  
Snape was the first to realize what he'd actually done. "Potter. How far away was that man?"  
  
"I don't know. I could barely... see... him... Oh my god..."  
  
"Precisely. How long have you been able to do that?"  
  
"I don't think I've ever been able to do that."  
  
Snape fired a shot at another attacker. One almost as far away as the first. "Neither have I."  
  
"The pledge?"  
  
"It's the only reason I can think of."  
  
He took Snape's hand and stepped away. "Then let's try to stay as close as possible."  
  
The deatheaters were coming in heavy numnbers again.  
  
They began again.  
  
It went on and on.  
  
Pain became a permanent part of the landscape.  
  
Snape's robes were singed and torn in various places. Small lines of blood trickled slowly down.  
  
They were getting too close. Already he had seen Snape blast more than one death eater moments  
before entering the castle.  
  
Even taking out brooms with pinpoint accuracy didn't seem to help. More kept coming.  
  
He was taking aim for the hundredth time that hour when Snape was suddenly ripped away from  
him. Pulled from his hands.  
  
He could see the floating head of Lucius Malfoy just above the taller man's right shoulder.  
  
Looks like he wasn't the only one with an invisibility cloak.  
  
"I know there's someone here." The blonde man hissed. "Show yourself." Malfoy ran a  
threatening wand across Snape's chest.  
  
How dare he.  
  
How DARE he.  
  
Taking his... his... HIS.  
  
"Mine." He whispered to himself.  
  
Malfoy's head snapped up, listening for the unseen voice.  
  
He looked in Snape's eyes. The bastard looked right back at him. Then nodded.  
  
Harry took a deep breath and circled around.  
  
And charged.  
  
Hitting Malfoy square in the back sent both men sprawling. But Snape had been ready for it. He'd  
sprung forward as much as he'd been able to.  
  
It had been enough. Malfoy was now alone.  
  
He lowered his hood and raised his wand.  
  
This one would be face to face.  
  
Swish and fli-  
  
The green glow came from above.  
  
He looked up.  
  
Draco Malfoy sat shakily on his broom looking down. "The Aurors are here." Was all he said  
before flying off.  
  
Well. That had been unexpected.  
  
He ran to Snape who was crawling towards their original hiding place.  
  
"Did you hear him?"  
  
Snape nodded tersely. He arranged himself leaning against an especially large rock. "Come here.  
The Aurors are performing up their usual standards. I think we can take a few minutes rest."  
  
Harry crawled forward and positioned himself between Snape's outstretched legs. Back leaned  
against stomach and relaxed.  
  
Long, lean arms came around to cradle him.  
  
Easing into the embrace, he sighed. "This could have been worse."  
  
*CRUCIO!*  
  
Ok. Between large cramping pains, he admitted it. This was his fault. Though, crawling back to a  
hiding place where they'd already been found once was probably not smart either. But he should  
really have know better than to tempt fate with strait lines like the one he'd uttered.  
  
The arms around him spasmed tightly.  
  
Their heads had been thrown back in unison.  
  
He gasped for air as his body refused to obey any but perhaps the most primitive of commands.  
  
"Se-ev-er-u-us..." A voice hissed. "Se-ev-er-u-us, my loyal follower." It spat. It was obvious  
Voldemort knew exactly where Snape's allegiances lay. "A gift? For me? That's so sweet, Se-ev-  
er-u-us."  
  
"You've lost, you know." Harry gasped between breathes. That's right. Taunt him. That will  
make this so much more fun.  
  
"I know. But if you think I'll let either of you live, even in my defeat, then you are sadly  
mistaken."  
  
*CRUCIO!*  
  
More pain.  
  
Wave after wave.  
  
Just kill them already.  
  
Something metallic was biting into his skin. The ring.  
  
A harsh whisper rang in his ear. "Together... resist..."  
  
Slowly, painfully, their hands moved until they were interlocked. Ring touching ring.  
  
Resist.  
  
He felt a swell of power from within... them?  
  
They let it rise. Grow, until it encompassed both of them.  
  
It was electric. A strange mingling of who they both were. For one moment, they were both,  
Severus Snape and Harry Potter. And more. More than the sum of their parts.  
  
Then, they resisted.  
  
"No!" Shouted as one.  
  
They shoved. Voldemort flew backwards.  
  
Rising together, they approached the sprawled body.  
  
Together. "Aveda Kedavra." Not yelled. Not shouted. But said calmly. As a statement of fact.  
  
Green light.  
  
Intense, powerful green energy hit the twisted, parody of a man who called himself 'The Dark  
Lord'.  
  
It fought and it won.  
  
They'd won.  
  
Then the power was gone. Or rather. It had gone back to where it belonged withing each of them.  
  
He was so tired. Snape looked similarly exhausted.  
  
He took a step and missed the ground completely. "Oh... I think... I'll stay here..."  
  
Snape sank to his knees beside him. "Best idea you've had in ages."  
  
As the world spiraled down into darkness, he realized, belatedly, that they'd never even drawn  
their wands.  
  
Part 18  
  
Severus Snape awoke to the sounds of many people milling around and talking in muffled voices.  
Even the annoyance of being woken up by anything other than his own will was muted by the fact  
that he was alive at all.  
  
He stretched a little, testing out his muscles. Everything seemed to still be there. Though he was  
sore in several places. A few more moments of careful consideration went by before he opened his  
eyes.  
  
White. He was surrounded by white. The Hospital Wing then. He'd survived AND they'd won. It  
could almost qualify as a good day.  
  
Something wasn't quite right though. He scratched his chest idly trying to figure out what it was.  
The glint of his ring caught his eye. Suddenly his entire body... itched. Then he realized, he was  
alone.  
  
Where's Harry?  
  
He swung his legs off the bed and met a cold marbled floor. His boots where no where to be  
found, he grunted in minor annoyance, but continued on.  
  
Shuffling out from behind the curtain surrounding the bed, his eyes came upon controlled chaos.  
  
Almost all of the beds were filled. Poppy and several others were walking back and forth checking  
on patients.  
  
He scanned each bed carefully, searched each face. Harry was not among them.  
  
Then a mind numbing though flashed through his head.  
  
But no. He'd know. Wouldn't he?  
  
He absentmindedly caressed the ring.  
  
Stupid. Of course. He closed his eyes and thought of Harry.  
  
Ah. One of the private rooms. He started to head in the proper direction when a voice called to  
him from across the room.  
  
"Severus!"  
  
He turned carefully to great the Headmaster. He was a bit dizzy and the itching wasn't helping  
"Albus."  
  
"Severus, my boy! How are you feeling?" He sounded almost joyful.  
  
"I am... well. I was wondering where Mr. Potter was residing." He carefully phrased the sentence  
for the many ears in the room. What he'd really meant was, 'Why the hell hadn't he been there  
when I'd woken up?'  
  
He watched Albus's face shift for a moment before answering. "He's in a private room in the  
back."  
  
"Albus, you can't keep giving him special treatment." In other words, 'Why wasn't I there too?'.  
  
"It was insisted upon, I'm afraid."  
  
"Insisted? By whom?" It couldn't have been Poppy. She had been far too accommodating in the  
past few days to suddenly get shy about it now.  
  
"Sirius."  
  
Damn. Never should have made that verituserium for him. "I would like to see him, Albus. To...  
thank him for saving my life."  
  
The bearded face nodded. He understood. Of course, understanding is often very far from  
accomplishment.  
  
He led him into the back, where the private rooms resided.  
  
Poppy was just exiting from the first door on the left. "Severus!" She smiled at him warmly. "I'm  
glad you're awake."  
  
"How is he?" No time for niceties.  
  
"He hasn't woken up yet. He's fine. Just not awake. I think its because..." She trailed off and  
looked at him meaningfully.  
  
Because they hadn't spent nearly enough time together in the last day.  
  
Damn Black! Damn Sirius 'I'm meddling because I know better, even if you do hold more  
degrees than I do, in what we're talking about' Black!  
  
He was almost enough to make him get a new wardrobe just to distance himself from that man's  
name.  
  
Albus nodded. "I thought as much. Well, we're going to try and correct that now."  
  
"Try not to give him a heart attack, Severus. I'll be busy enough as it is."  
  
He simply raised an eyebrow. His feelings on the subject of Sirius Black were well known.  
  
Poppy shook her head and walked off.  
  
"Onward, unto the breach, Albus." He walked inside.  
  
Not two feet in he got a snarl. "What are you doing here?" A record.  
  
"I'm here to see Mr. Potter."  
  
"Why?" Another snarl. Doing a fare imitation of him.  
  
Don't argue. Just get him out of the way. "He did save my life." He moved towards the bed.  
  
Black stepped in front of him. "And you think that entitles you to some sort of rights?"  
  
"I am here to see how he's doing, Black. Not that its any business of yours."  
  
"What I don't understand is, why didn't the Aurors take you away with the rest of the trash."  
  
He walked around him. "Don't be ridiculous, Black."  
  
"All I know is they found you unconscious next to my godson, who has yet to wake up."  
  
Oh for gods sake. "You're being irrational."  
  
"Sirius," Albus called from the doorway, "Come, let him have his peace."  
  
Bless you, Albus. He stepped next to the bed. Harry looked exhausted, even in sleep. Dark circles  
marred his youthful face. He longed to wrap his arms around him in comfort.  
  
"I'm not leaving Harry alone with him." Black persisted.  
  
He ignored the comment, carefully sat down and took Harry's hand in his own.  
  
Even that much helped. Already the itching was down to a tolerable level. Even the remaining  
aches faded to the background.  
  
In the back of his mind he noted that, while Albus had not gotten Black out of the room, he was  
defiantly distracting him.  
  
Hoping Albus could keep it up for a little longer, he lifted his other hand and carefully moved the  
boys hair out of his face.  
  
Harry moaned lightly. Was this really enough?  
  
"Don't you dare hurt him!" Black roared in his direction. He must have heard the soft sound also.  
  
"I have done nothing of the sort."  
  
"Then why are you touching him?"  
  
"I'm offering comfort, you imbecile."  
  
"You wouldn't know a kind touch if it backhanded you across the face."  
  
"...sirius..." The voice was so small, so fragile.  
  
Something inside him didn't like that Sirius was asked for first. Though, there was no reason why  
he should expect much else.  
  
"I'm here Harry. What is it?"  
  
"...back off..."  
  
"You heard him Snape, back off!"  
  
"No." the voice was getting stronger. "You. Back off." The boy defiantly had some redeeming  
qualities.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"The Professor hasn't done anything wrong."  
  
"I'm just trying to look out for you..."  
  
"I know... I just... ugh... I can't think... Headmaster I need to think could you..." His eyes pleaded  
with Albus.  
  
The Headmaster nodded and stepped forward placing one hand on Black's shoulder.  
  
So that was it, huh? Brave boy. Though, considering he was about to go through with any plan  
Harry was going to offer...  
  
Those green eyes turned to him, asking him if he was willing. He nodded his ascent.  
  
Harry shifted over in the bed to accommodate him.  
  
He got up and slid in beside him.  
  
"What the HELL do you think you're doing, you greasy bastard!"  
  
Albus's firm hand kept Black restrained.  
  
"He's doing exactly what I want him to do." Harry answered while wrapping securely around  
him.  
  
Yes, this was much better.  
  
"WHAT?!?" Black was beginning to turn a lovely shade of purple. "Albus! Are you just going to  
let him do this?"  
  
"My dear boy, if you would just listen to them, you will find, not all is as it seems."  
  
"Fine. I'll listen. To Harry." Stubborn git.  
  
"Well Sirius." Harry began. "We seem to be suffering from an arranged marriage."  
  
He looked down at Harry incredulously. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"  
  
"Days."  
  
"You! You did this to him." More accusations from Black. What a surprise.  
  
"Actually Sirius," Harry corrected, "technically, he's under *my* spell."  
  
He snorted. "Do I even dare ask about that one?"  
  
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to." Smart advice. He's obviously been  
spending time with the right people recently.  
  
"Spell? Explain, now." Black demanded.  
  
So they did.  
_________  
  
When all was said, that could be said, Black just shook his head in disbelief. "I just don't  
understand how you could want to be around that greasy git."  
  
"You say that like there's much of a choice." Harry paused a moment and added. "And he's not  
greasy." That also sounded like he'd been waiting for days to say. Interesting.  
  
"I don't like it. I don't trust him-"  
  
"*He's* still in the room."  
  
"I don't like him" Black continued without a pause, "and I STILL say he had something to do  
with it."  
  
"Sirius. I love you, you know that. I think the world of you and I never want anything to happen  
to you."  
  
The look on Black's face softened a bit. "I didn't, but thank you for telling me."  
  
"I just wanted to say it first. I wanted to say it before I told you." Tell him what? Oh please, Harry  
don't say anything stupid.  
  
"Told me what?" Black looked confused.  
  
"To grow the FUCK up!"   
  
He blinked. Well that was most satisfying.  
  
"Harry?!"  
  
"Go away. Don't come back until you can talk about this reasonably. I'm too tired to get into  
stupid arguments about old grudges and things that don't mean anything. Professor Snape has  
saved my life more times that I care to count, done more to prove himself than anyone should  
*ever* have to and been a hell of a lot more decent about this than you have!"  
  
"Harry..."  
  
He closed his eyes and snuggled down further. "Go away Sirius. Go away and let me recover in  
peace. Get some therapy. Work through your issues. Come back and tell me you love me no  
matter what. Because I love you, even now."  
  
Albus gently tugged on Black. "Come Sirius. Harry needs his rest."  
  
For once. Black did what he was told.  
  
Once the door was safely shut, Harry turned to him. "I bet you enjoyed that."  
  
"I did. Greatly. Though I do wish that you weren't the one that had to do that."  
  
"Stop that."  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"Being nice. It creeps me out."  
  
"Be quiet you, insolent boy, I'm trying to sleep."  
  
"Much better." Was the sleepy reply. Soon Harry was reduced to soft snores.  
  
He lazily stroked the supple back before him and sighed contentedly before joining his companion   
in sleep.  
  
Part 19  
  
Snape woke feeling incredibly rested.  
  
He checked the time, it had been nearly twelve hours since the last time he'd woken.  
  
Taking a moment, he savored the comfortable lump laying on top of him.  
  
Opening his eyes, he discovered they were alone.  
  
Thank Merlin, for small favors.  
  
He sat up in the bed, trying not to dislodge the person using him as a pillow. "Harry." He gently  
shook the first shoulder he could get a hand on. "Harry, wake up."  
  
"Mmmfffshlp."  
  
It was a wonder the boy ever got to class on time.  
  
"Harry." A bit louder this time. "Come on. Wake up."  
  
Bleary eyes looked up at him. "What?"  
  
"I said, wake up."  
  
"Why?" A sleep roughened voice questioned.  
  
"Because, I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to discuss some things."  
  
"Fine. You talk, I'll listen. I swear. Don't mind the snoring."  
  
"Harry."  
  
"Fine, fine. I'm up. What?" Harry made a big show of opening his eyes and trying to look  
attentive.  
  
"You're quite annoying, does it take much effort?"  
  
"I don't know, you tell me." The green eyes rolled in exasperation. "Is this what you wanted to  
talk about? Because I'm sure it'd be even more annoying if I went back to sleep."  
  
He chose to ignore him. "How much of the battle do you remember?"  
  
Pain lanced across Harry's face. "Too much."  
  
"I agree. But I meant, when we killed..." He trailed off, for the first time, not even wanting to say  
his name.  
  
"The arrogant bastard?" Harry supplied. "Yeah, I remember."  
  
"We didn't use our wands, did we?"  
  
"You don't remember? Getting old?"  
  
He frowned."Don't be obnoxious. I just wanted to be sure."  
  
"Sorry." Harry sounded far more tired than any 16 year old should. "I just... there's a lot going on  
in my head right now. Well... there was a lot going on before. Now there's so much, I can't  
decide what problem to start with."  
  
"So you decided it would be easier to simply grate on my nerves?"  
  
An impish smile appeared. "Basically. I figured if I got you angry enough you'd either drop the  
subject or..."  
  
"Or what?"  
  
Harry looked away. "You'd solve one of my problems for me."  
  
Really? "And how would I do that?"  
  
"You'd kiss me again and you wouldn't stop."  
  
"Oh." He should have been expecting that. Really.  
  
Sitting up a little more, Harry raised a hand and let his fingers lightly trace a cheekbone. The soft  
caress continued for long moments.  
  
Finally, Snape raised his own hand and captured Harry's. "We really shouldn't."  
  
"I really don't care."  
  
Dryly. "I noticed." He pressed the hand gently to his lips. "This is an incredibly bad idea. The  
spell-"  
  
"- can sod off for all I care. I admired and respected you before the bloody thing ever happened."  
  
"Admiration and respect are completely different from-"  
  
Once again, Harry interrupted. "Not from here. I feel the same I always did. There's just... more."  
  
"More?"   
  
"More. So much more. That's what has me so confused. Part of me doesn't feel any different. But  
another part... Another part feels... alive... when you're around."  
  
"There *are* other reasons that this isn't a good idea."  
  
Harry sighed impatiently. "Fine. For right now. We're soldiers. We're survivors. We're two  
people who need a little comfort. A little love. I've given enough to the bloody world. I want  
something to myself."  
  
Snape took the hand he was holding and gently twined their fingers. His other hand came up and  
lightly trailed a path across a smooth cheek. Magic allowed for amazingly close and long lasting  
shaves. He let his thumb dip and run gently over yielding lips.   
  
Harry's eyes closed in obvious pleasure. He leaned into the simple touch. Soaking up as much as  
possible.  
  
"Harry..." His voice was husky, "Say no and I'll get up and walk out of here. But say yes and I  
may drown."  
  
Green eyes opened and met his. "I'll save you."  
  
A soft whisper. "Then say yes."  
  
Harry ran his free hand up a strong, lean chest, letting glide up and find a place on the back of  
Snape's neck. "Oh... yesss." He groaned out. "Please god, yes."  
  
This time, they met in the middle.  
  
This kiss was not the hungry animal of the first two. It was slow, languid. Sweet and oh so  
sensual.  
  
Their clasped hands let go so they could explore more freely. Harry gently pushed him down on  
the bed and moved to cover him completely. Strong hands stroked up and down his sides.  
Tangled in his hair. Cupped his cheek as the kiss went on and on.  
  
Tongues braved out into hot, moist caverns. Learned their paths well and revisited often.  
  
Snape ran his hands down the lithe body on top of him, enjoying the smooth play of muscled  
under skin. They cupped a firm ass and gently kneading. Harry gasped and plunged forward.  
  
He encouraged legs to straddle him and-  
  
Oh god.  
  
They rocked back and forth, moaning with each gentle thrust.  
  
Harry began to work at his neck. An agile mouth licked and sucked in time with their movements.  
  
He pulled Harry up for another deep, consuming kiss.  
  
Sensation was beginning to build.  
  
He wanted more. Wanted to explore everything. Touch, taste, feel it all.  
  
But it was too much.  
  
They'd been circling each other for days. Foreplay had begun the moment the spell had started.  
  
Hips began to move faster.  
  
Jolts of energy started at the tips of his toes and traveled deliciously up his back.  
  
Oh yes. Finally.  
  
So good. God. Don't stop, please don't stop. Oh. Please. Oh yes.  
  
He was higher than he'd ever been before.  
  
Power was channeling through them. Taking them soaring.  
  
Don't stop. Don'tstopdon'tstopdon'tstop.  
  
Muscled tightened in sweet anticipation.  
  
Oh god. Soft skin everywhere. Lips opening and plunging deep inside. In. Out. In. Out.  
  
Soft gasps and moans punctuating each movement.  
  
Yes. Oh god yes. Yes yes yes.  
  
So close. So close.  
  
A little more.  
  
Hands grabbed hips for leverage.  
  
Thrust. Oh.. More..  
  
Thrust. Just a little more.  
  
Thrust. The energy pooled.  
  
THRUST. Ecstacy.  
  
It exploded over them in large blissful, euphoric waves.  
  
Swell after swell washed through them.  
  
Rippling slowly to an end.  
  
They were gasping for breathe.  
  
Harry was the first to recover. "Wow... that was..." He seemed at a loss.  
  
"...well coordinated." He offered.  
  
Harry smiled. "That too."  
  
He pulled the blankets over them and muttered and cleaning spell. "Now, you can sleep."  
  
"Remind me not complain next time you wake me up."  
  
"Sleep." He brushed a soft kiss against Harry's forehead.  
_________  
  
They didn't hear the soft squeaking of the door. Not that it would have mattered much.  
  
"BLOODY HELL!"  
  
Ron Weasley.  
  
Shit, this was getting old.  
  
Part 20  
  
Elbowing him in the stomach, Harry bolted upright. "Ron!"  
  
The red head stood in front of the open doorway, paralyzed.  
  
Snape watched that speechless jaw move soundlessly up and down for a few moments before  
saying, "Mr. Weasley, please close the door."  
  
A few more flaps, then, "Close the door?"  
  
Children. "Yes. Close. The. Door."  
  
"No."  
  
Harry spoke up. "Ron, please close the door."  
  
Weasley shook his head. "And risk him doing to me whatever it is he did to you?"  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "He didn't do ANYTHING to me. He may not be a nice person most of the  
time, but he's NOT evil."  
  
His lips twitched. "Well, not in the classical sense, anyway."  
  
Green eyes took aim at him."You're not helping."  
  
"That was never my intention." There was something very calming about snapping at one another.  
Though, Mr. Weasley didn't seem to think so. Someone should tell him that staring like that isn't  
very polite.  
  
Harry just sighed and poked him in the arm. Turning to the red headed statue, he said, "Just get  
the Headmaster, you're not going to believe me unless he's here anyway."  
  
"I'm not leaving you like this, Harry."  
  
"Like what? The most harm that's been done is that I was woken up from a very well deserved  
nap." A small, very satisfied smile crossed his lips before his face once again was a mask of  
exasperation.  
  
"Harry, something's not right here."  
  
Another long suffering sigh. "Ron, just get the Headmaster. I promise, nothing is going to happen  
in the next five minutes."  
  
Having finally decided that getting Albus was probably the lesser of two evils, Weasley left.  
Without shutting the door. He weighed the merits of taking points for the lapse.   
  
Harry flopped back against him. "That did not go the way I wanted it to."  
  
He took the opportunity to card through the sleep tousled hair and dryly asked, "Did you really  
expect it to?"  
  
"No. But it would have been nice." Harry answered.  
  
"A lot of things would be nice. That does not mean we'll ever actually get them. That, by the way,  
is one of those many reasons I was talking about."  
  
"Reasons?"  
  
He lightly traced Harry's lips with the pads of his fingers. "Reasons."  
  
"Oh." Harry's eyes looked far away for a moment. "Wait. Ron was a reason?"  
  
"Don't be dense. Your friends. Don't fool yourself into thinking no one else is going to find out.  
I'd wager there are already interesting rumors flying about."  
  
"What would they have to talk about?"  
  
He began to tick off reasons on his fingers. "Neither of us are in the main ward, Black's probable  
zombie like walk through the hallways and a thousand other little things that the trained,  
professional, gossip mongers that this school calls students could easily pick up on."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"That was very articulate."  
  
Harry threw him an irritated look. "I try."  
  
"That" He pointed out. "was a blatant lie."  
  
Shoulders shrugged. "Caught me. I guess that's why you're the teacher."  
  
Teacher. Yes, he was. "Ah... Then there's... that."  
  
"That?"  
  
"Do try to catch on a little quicker. Conversations with you are starting to become tedious."  
  
"You could always find ways to shut me up."  
  
How on earth can anyone look that innocent and be that suggestive at the same time? It was  
positively wrong. "Harry, if it wasn't a good idea before, it's an indescribably bad idea now."  
  
"I wasn't suggesting now. I was just letting you know for the future."  
  
"Ah." How the hell was he supposed to respond to that?  
  
"Eloquent as always." Harry told him.  
  
He hated it when people threw his words back at him. Didn't they have enough creativity to come  
up with their own insults?  
  
Thankfully, Albus chose that moment to appear with a Weasley in tow.  
  
"Ah. I see where you might have a problem Mr. Weasley. Let me assure you that nothing  
untoward has happened."  
  
That's when the sinking feeling began in his chest. Albus had trusted him. Without a doubt, he  
had violated it. In the worst way. He couldn't look the old man in the eyes.  
  
Harry asked the Headmaster if he could explain this time. Apparently he'd had enough arguing  
and question answering.  
  
It was a slight joy to watch Weasley's face alternate between shocking red and extremely pale.  
  
He noted that Albus's rendition managed to make the whole thing less tawdry than it was even  
before... before.  
  
When the third retelling was done, Weasley sat there in blessed silence. Then he began to laugh.  
  
Sarcasm heavily laced his voice. "I'm glad I can be of entertainment, Mr. Weasley."  
  
"I'm sorry," Weasley choked out. "Its just funny!"  
  
It was. In the end, the entire situation was glaringly and disgustingly, absurd. But he wasn't going  
to admit that.  
  
Weasley turned to Albus, "Can I talk to Harry alone?"  
  
"I believe they can be separate for a time. Now would be a perfect opportunity to discuss some  
things with Professor Snape. Why don't you two head off to the room next door. Come back  
when you're ready."  
  
He'd suddenly, never been so glad that he'd learned that simple cleaning spell years ago.  
  
As Harry slipped away, he noticed his side felt cold and bereft. A ridiculous notion. He'd simply  
gotten used to having him there. A dangerous thing to have happened.  
  
The two friends left the room and he allowed himself so fall, gracelessly back to the pillows.  
  
Serious blue eyes peered at him from underneath bushy eyebrows. "How are you feeling,  
Severus?"  
  
He considered the question for a moment. "Better. But I am still quite tired, despite all the rest I  
have gotten."  
  
Albus nodded. "It was a long battle."  
  
A weariness descended over him. "All battles are long."  
  
"Quite true." There was a pause, then the Headmaster continued tentatively. "Severus? How did  
you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Win." The serious look was still there. "No one has been able to figure it out."  
  
He chose his words carefully. "At the time, I think it was instinct. Albus, we... we worked  
together. Our powers, they linked. WE linked, just for a moment, but it was enough."  
  
"Severus, we found your wands several feet away from the both of you."  
  
"I know."  
  
Understanding graced Albus's features. "I see."  
  
"I don't know if we can do it again." he continued to explain. "I don't know how we did it the  
first time. All I do know is, even if we figured out how, I don't think its something we could do  
on a regular basis."  
  
Albus nodded again. "Severus, how are you feeling?"  
  
"You asked me that already."  
  
Albus placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I did not mean physically."  
  
"I... I don't know how I feel."  
  
"Would you like to talk about it?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"Severus. Look at me. I have had some time to do the research I told you about. I've come to the  
conclusion that there is nothing more to be done. I probably should not have tried to do anything  
in the first place."  
  
"Albus, I..." What was there to say? What could be possibly say?  
  
"Severus, over your many years here, I have come to a single conclusion. You, are an honorable  
man. And I trust in you, that no matter what happens, you will be an honorable man. We as a  
generation have been set into impossible situations, with impossible tasks. To judge right and  
wrong at the most inopportune times. To know where the grey begins and ends. Do not think that  
I don't understand these things and do not think I would condemn a man who had no choice.  
Because, I know you. I know that even when you have no choice, you face it with honor and  
dignity and most importantly, respect."  
  
"Albus..."  
  
The hand on his shoulder gave a reassuring squeeze. "All I ask is that you always remember the  
meaning of the word, no."  
  
Understanding eyes peered at him for a moment more before turning away.  
  
"I must return to my office. Classes have been cancelled for a week, but there is still much to do.  
I'll see you again tomorrow." And he was off.  
  
Part 21  
  
As soon as the door was closed, Ron clamped a hand onto Harry's arm and dragged him bodily  
into the next room.  
  
Ron closed the door with a slam and spit out, "Are you out of your bloody mind??"  
  
He knew it'd been too easy. He walked over and collapsed on the neatly made bed in the center of  
the room. Without looking up, he answered. "Were you listening to the same story I was listening  
to?"  
  
"Listening, yes. Believing, no."  
  
"Ron..."  
  
Ron walked over to him and forced their gazes to meet. "Harry, what's really going on?"  
  
Giving in to the urge to roll his eyes. "Exactly what you were told." Don't be a moron.  
  
Ron turned away. "I don't believe it."  
  
Somehow. He wasn't surprised at Ron's reaction. "Why?"  
  
"Because you're not stupid enough to fool with your wand like that." Ron finished decisively,  
looking inordinately pleased with himself.  
  
Will wonders never cease. "Actually, Ron. I am."  
  
Shocked eyes peered at him. "What were you thinking?"  
  
"I think it's been pretty well established that I wasn't."  
  
Those eyes narrowed with suspicion again. "Are you absolutely sure that he didn't have  
something to do with this?"  
  
"Absolutely." Unwaveringly, unquestionably, without a doubt, all his fault. Hermione at  
practically diagramed it for him.  
  
"So, what's it been like?" Curiosity laced his friend's voice.  
  
Harry's head shot up. "What's what been like?"  
  
"Being stuck with Snape all the time."  
  
Oh. That. He shrugged listlessly. "It's not as bad you think. He's in the same boat too."  
  
Surprise and revulsion went across the red head's face. "You mean, he- eeew."  
  
He just shook his head. Not 'eeew'. That was the problem. "Ron, I need my best friend right  
now."  
  
"I knew something was wrong."  
  
Don't make this harder, Ron. "No. Not like that."  
  
"Then what?" Open curiosity.  
  
"I..." He... He what?  
  
"What is it?" Ron crossed the room again and sat next to him on the bed.  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"Not sure of what?"  
  
He sighed. "Everything."  
  
"Everything?"  
  
Harry nodded. Choosing his words carefully, he began to speak again. "This... situation... It's  
made me think about things. Things, I don't know, that maybe I was thinking about before. Its all  
a blur now. What I was feeling before, what I'm feeling now."  
  
"What you're feeling now?"  
  
This would be too easy if Ron actually understood what he was talking about. "Ron, I'm...  
attracted to him... really... *really* attracted to him." There. He'd said it. The world didn't end.  
Who would have thought?  
  
Disgust swam across Ron's face. "Ugh. Harry-"  
  
"No, Listen to me." He cut Ron off. "Let me finish. I've had a good panic attack coming on for  
days. Let me have it in peace"  
  
Ron made and over exaggerated 'after you' gesture. "Go on."  
  
"We kissed."   
  
"He kissed you!"  
  
"No!" Harry quickly corrected, "I kissed him, at least I started it. I don't think, in the end, he had  
much choice in resisting it."  
  
"Ok. So you," Ron gulped, "kissed."  
  
"It was, really good."  
  
"Harry, you're my best friend, but we're starting to enter territory I didn't even want to know  
existed let alone hear about."  
  
"Sorry. Its just that, I asked him about it. About liking... other guys. He gave me some advice that  
I thought I understood at the time. But now I think I didn't."  
  
"What'd he say?"  
  
"'Hands are hands. Mouths are mouths. People are people. Love is love. They just have many  
different forms.'"  
  
Ron had on his, 'that's the most confusing thing I've ever heard' face. "What is that supposed to  
mean?"  
  
"I thought," He began slowly, "that it was his way of saying, I shouldn't worry about it. I think,  
he thinks that when the spell wears off, I won't have these feelings anymore."  
  
"Well, you won't." Ron said to him decisively. "So you shouldn't worry."  
  
Shaking his head sadly. "I don't think so. I think he was saying something else at the same time."  
  
"What else could he possibly be saying?"  
  
"That... that it's ok."  
  
"That what's ok?"  
  
Honestly, were all his friends this dense? "That its ok if the feeling doesn't... go away."  
  
Ron shook his head. "Of course it's going to go away."  
  
"No, Ron. I don't think it is. It feels like the first time I used floo powder. I was scared as hell to  
just walk into an open flame, now... it doesn't seem like such a big deal."  
  
Ron gulped at his words and looked at him seriously for a few moments. "You don't want to kiss  
anyone else do you? You don't want to" gulp, "kiss me?"  
  
"Actually. Yes. I'd like to kiss someone else. Compare notes. He's got this thing he does with his  
tongue that I'd like to try on some hapless victim. As for you Ron, don't be a git."  
  
"I'm not being a git."  
  
"No. Sorry. You're not. You're being accepting and offering me wise advice. You're not  
questioning me every other sentence and making this harder than that it already is."  
  
"Hey. Point that sarcasm at someone else, will you?"  
  
Glare.  
  
"Alright. Sorry. I'm here and I'm being supportive, see?"  
  
Wow. Maybe Snape had the right idea. "I just needed to talk about it."  
  
"Harry. You can talk to me about it anytime. Just don't bring Snape into it."  
  
Now that was a problem. Because if liking another man was confusing, liking Snape was enough  
to make 'The-boy-who-lived' become 'The-boy-who-crawled-under-a-rock-and-never-came-  
back-out'. Maybe he could talk to Hermione. Girls understood strange things like that. But Ron  
was at least making an effort. "Thank you."  
  
Sheepish shoulders shrugged. "S'what I'm here for."  
  
Putting on his best, wide eyed, school boy expression, Harry asked, "Is *that* what it was?"  
  
"Sod off." The retort held no malice. Maybe things would be alright after all.  
  
Harry gestured at the door. "I need to be getting back." He paused for a moment. "We've been in  
the habit of... saving up just in case."  
  
"Saving up?"  
  
Say it without scaring him. "The touching."  
  
Ron's face twitched, but all he said was, "Oh."  
  
"I'll just be going."  
  
He was almost at the door when Ron spoke again. "Harry?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'll always be your friend."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
He walked back across the hallway and into his rooms.  
  
And came face to face with Cornelius Fudge, two Aurors and one very brassed off Professor.  
  
Part 22  
  
The Bastard! The useless, arrogant, self-aggrandizing, officious, interfering, sycophant,  
BASTARD.  
  
Snape curled his lips in disgust. "I am not taking that."  
  
Cornelius Fudge looked at him with scorn. "You're not getting out of this, Snape. Take the  
verituserum."  
  
"The answer, once more, is an unquestionable, resounding, NO."  
  
Fudge looked smug. "Then you'll have to come with us."  
  
Fool. Should hex him into tomorrow.  
  
"I'll do nothing of the sort."  
  
"What's going on?" Harry asked from the doorway.  
  
Only Snape had known when he'd come in. Everyone else was startled by the comment.  
  
Fudge quickly dismissed him. "It's nothing that concerns you."  
  
"I think it does." Harry stuck his head out the door, "Ron! Get the Headmaster!"  
  
"Why did you do that?" Fudge asked obviously not comprehending how angry Harry was.  
  
Harry glared. He was getting good at that. "I really think the question is, why wasn't he here in  
the first place?"  
  
Smart boy.  
  
Hedging. "We couldn't find him."  
  
"Did you try is office?" Harry asked.  
  
"Of course he didn't, that would have been to logical thing to do." He responded before Fudge  
could get in a word.  
  
Muttered. "Be quiet, Snape."  
  
Harry moved further into the room, coming stand at his side. "Why do you want him to take  
verituserum?"  
  
Why does he care?  
  
Fudge trying to sound as authoritative as possible said, "That's none of your business."  
  
Harry straitened up fractionally. "I think it is."  
  
"Don't interfere with Ministry business."  
  
"I will interfere with anything I want, when it includes harassing my friends."  
  
Friends? They were friends? He supposed between the sniping and the entirely inappropriate  
snogging they had come to some sort of truce. But friends?  
  
Fudge, in his typical manner chose not to understand. "But we're not harassing anyone you care  
about."  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously. "But you are. This man saved my life and I want to know  
why you're bothering him when he should be resting."  
  
He noted, that matter how often or how hard he provoked him, that look at never been aimed in  
his direction.  
  
Who knew the boy had teeth.  
  
"You can't be serious. You can't possibly trust him."  
  
"With my life." The certainty that edged Harry's voice surprised him.  
  
He really trusted him. At least, the spell really trusted him. He found himself aborting a movement  
that would have landed his hand on Harry's shoulder.   
  
Fudge looked smug. "Then taking the verituserum shouldn't be a problem."  
  
He leveled his best sneer at Fudge. "There is no force on this earth that will make me willingly  
take *any* potion you hand me."  
  
"We just need to confirm that you were on the right side."  
  
"And what side is that Fudge? The side that refused to believe he was back? Or the side that  
actually did something about it."  
  
He took great pleasure in watching Fudge stutter with anger and turn a lovely orange. He was  
having great success at that recently.  
  
Sputtering. "I can't believe you of all people are questioning my loyalties."  
  
"Not your loyalties," Allowing a malicious smile, "just your competence."  
  
Funny, he'd never noticed that vein before.  
  
"Why you-"  
  
"Why Cornelius, so good to see you again."  
  
Albus really should consider changing his wardrobe to include tights and a cape.  
  
"Dumbledore, a... pleasure as always."  
  
Arse kisser. Bad arse kisser. Unconvincing arse kisser.  
  
A congenial smile graced the Headmaster's face. "Now what seems to be the problem?"  
  
Fudge is a doddering old fool. That should have been obvious.  
  
"I was just telling Snape, that either he takes the verituserum and answer my questions or he  
comes with us back to the ministry."  
  
"Did he refuse to answer your questions?"  
  
He's being reasonable. Brilliant defense. Except, of course, when the person you're arguing with  
wouldn't know a sound argument if it ran over them with a broom.  
  
"What?" Fudged asked.  
  
"Did he refuse to answer your questions? Is that why you're insisting on the verituserum?" Albus  
delivered the question in the same rational tone of voice he used while scolding a petulant first  
year. Somehow, it fit.  
  
"I'm insisting," Fudge persevered, "because he can't be trusted."  
  
Albus just shook his head. "Cornelius. I'll have to insist you stop that at once."  
  
Oh yes. *That* will work.  
  
"You want to know what happened?" Harry spoke up with an angry snarl. "I'll tell you what  
happened. Voldemort appeared. He attacked us. We killed him. The end."  
  
"You?" Fudge looked between them confused.  
  
"Us. So go ahead. Arrest the OTHER savior of the wizarding world. I'll be along in a minute,  
first I've got an owl to write to the Daily Prophet.  
  
Savior? Good lord. The boy certainly knew how to throw around his adjectives.  
  
Back tracking immediately. "Now, there's no need for that."  
  
"And there's no need for this." Harry's tone held such contempt. The vehemence in the statement  
surprised him.  
  
Harry had stepped directly between him and the miserable excuse for a paper pusher. "Professor  
Snape can be trusted with my life. If that doesn't answer ALL of your questions, you need to  
rethink your priorities."  
  
"How can you trust him?"  
  
"Simple." Harry crossed his arms and grinned all knowingly, "I'm not an idiot."  
  
Well, well, never could accuse him tact.  
  
Fudge looked ready to implode.  
  
All in all, not an altogether sad state of affairs.  
  
"Come, Cornelius," Albus said, in his most placating voice, "Let's go to my office and discuss this  
and let Severus rest up some more. He's had a trying week."  
  
Trying?  
  
TRYING?  
  
What an enormous, massive, practically planetary, understatement.  
  
"Fine. It would be a good opportunity to hear the full course of events from Mr. Potter."  
  
"I'm sorry Cornelius. Harry is not allowed to leave the infirmary yet. Poppy's orders."  
  
Jaw clenched. "Fine." If Fudge wasn't careful, he'd break something, the way he was tense like  
that, "We'll talk. Later."  
  
They exited the room.  
  
He turned to Harry. "I'm not your friend."  
  
"Of course not." Obnoxious brat smiled at him.   
  
"What," he sneered, "was that... display, anyway?"  
  
With a look of disgust, Harry answered. "That was moron, trying to look good."  
  
An irritated glare was thrown in the boys direction. "Not him, you."  
  
Baleful eyes looked at him. "If you have to ask, then it hasn't been done enough."  
  
"What hasn't been done enough?"  
  
In a low quiet voice. "Defending you."  
  
He found himself unable to formulate a response for that.  
  
Part 23  
  
Harry walked through the hallways quickly, in an effort to dissuade anyone who might think it  
was a good idea to talk to him.  
  
Talking meant lying. Lying meant thinking. Thinking meant... something. To decide what it  
meant, meant thinking. Ugh. Paradox.  
  
Must stop spending time with know-it-all potions masters who like to manipulate him for shits  
and giggles.  
  
To be fair, Snape wasn't manipulating him, he was just being stubborn. Very, VERY stubborn.  
  
Any efforts to talk about 'the incident in question' had been met with a firm, 'No.'  
  
After several frustrating attempts, he excused himself and said that he needed to talk to Hermione.  
  
He found her in the common room, reading a very large and dusty tome.  
  
"Hermione."  
  
She looked up and blinked. "Harry! He let you out of the infirmary?"  
  
"Who let me out?"  
  
"Snape."  
  
He wasn't going to think about what that implied. "Why would he have anything to do with that?"  
  
She looked at him for a moment. He felt like a specimen in some wacky experiment. "Harry. How  
much has either The Headmaster or Professor Snape told you about this?"  
  
Was she off her rocker? "Ssssh! Don't talk about it here!"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "The room's empty. Sit down and tell me how much you know about this  
charm."  
  
He sat down. "Pretty much what I told you."  
  
"That's what I thought. The Headmaster gave me this book to read. He told me to read it and  
then talk to you. I *know* he hasn't read it himself."  
  
"How do you know that."  
  
"Because when he handed it to me he said, 'There are some things that old men and headmasters  
need not know.' I took that as a clue." She   
  
"Why would he say that?"  
  
"That's what I was wondering. Then I read the book."  
  
He wished she would just spit it out. "And?"  
  
She gave him a perplexed look. "Let's just say it sheds some light on the situation."  
  
"Then why wouldn't he want to read it himself."  
  
She looked like she wasn't sure what to say. "Ah... Because I think he knew what it was going to  
say. Or at least had a pretty good idea."  
  
She was stalling. That wasn't a good sign. If Hermione was shoving some new fact down your  
throat, something was wrong. "What does it say?"  
  
"It doesn't really go into many details about modern use of the spell. What it *does* talk about  
are its roots. What it was originally intended for."  
  
"Aaaand?" He was going to hurt her if she didn't speed this up.  
  
"Well," she began, "have you ever heard of the term 'Shield-Brother'?"  
  
He searched his memory. "It sounds familiar."  
  
She nodded. "It was briefly mentioned in Muggle Studies and The History of Magic. For muggles,  
its part of a larger myth about ancient Rome and Greece."  
  
"And for wizards?"  
  
Her face scrunched up a bit. "Well, for one thing, its not a myth."  
  
"Not a myth?"  
  
"No, not a myth." She stopped again. Looked even more uncomfortable and continued.  
"Apparently, over a thousand years ago, there was a great war A long and horrible war. The  
wizards of the time were looking for ways to improve their chances of surviving. Better fighting  
techniques, offense, defense, etc. Someone took the muggle myth and created reality."  
  
He shook his head. "I don't see how this would make you fight better, personally, its an incredible  
distraction."  
  
She smiled at him triumphantly. "That's because you weren't hit with the original version of the  
spell. The original version didn't create attraction, just an extra sensory awareness."  
  
Well, that was interesting. "So what does that tell me?"  
  
"Well, as far as I can tell... You've been affected by a... mutated version of it."  
  
"Mutated?" That didn't sound good. In fact, that sounded bad. Very, very bad.  
  
She got up and began to pace. "Well, the original spell was used to bind two wizards together,  
but it wasn't arbitrary. They chose it. They already had the type of relationship that could be  
qualified as... close."  
  
Close? What the hell did she mean by close? "What did it do?"  
  
"It doesn't go into many specifics, just something about a better working relationship."  
  
Well, that could almost describe what had happened.  
  
She stopped in front of him and hesitated a moment. "It's just that. There was a little more, two  
things actually."  
  
This wasn't enough? "What is it Hermione?"  
  
"Well, I don't know how much this applies to you, after all, this isn't the exact spell that was  
used."  
  
She was hedging. It was becoming very annoying. "Just tell me, Hermione!"  
  
"Ah, well first... well... it didn't explicitly say this, as much as it implied it." She paused, gathering  
herself. "Most of the people who used this... they viewed it as marriage. In fact, I think it was.  
Legally binding, that is."  
  
Erk! WHAT? "Marriage?"  
  
"Well... from what I read... it does seem kind of... Intimate."  
  
Gah! Another one of those scary words. "I'm almost afraid to ask what the other thing is."  
  
"It seems..." she started again, "there also had to be intent."  
  
"What?" WHAT!  
  
"Intent." She said again, this time more sure of herself. "You had to want it to happen."  
  
"But that doesn't make sense! This spell was for an arranged marriage!"  
  
"No." She corrected him. "The spell that you originally cast was for an arranged marriage. The  
spell this book talks about, wasn't."  
  
"Ah. Anything else?" Not that his heart could take it.  
  
"Well. The end of the book goes into how the spell was changed."  
  
"And?" Nothing. Let it be nothing. We all lived happily ever after.  
  
"Well, the big difference between the old and the new, besides the attraction that is, is in the  
second part of the spell. The original spell was supposed to take place over the course of several  
days. The new one had both parts happen almost simultaneously. They also changed certain  
words..." She stopped and a blush spread over her cheeks.   
  
"That's where the.. Er... attraction comes in." She offered him a small supportive smile and  
rushed on. "It seems you used the new version for part one. Waited an amount of time that  
approached the original, instead of doing both parts at the same time and then The Headmaster  
used the original for part two."  
  
He was confused. "I thought he hadn't read this book."  
  
"He didn't." She confirmed.  
  
He shook his head in resignation. "Only because it's The Headmaster does that make sense. That  
still doesn't explain why he gave it to you to read."  
  
She looked uncomfortable again and he began to worry. "There... ah... was one more thing."  
  
"Just spit it out..." He was really beginning to wish he'd stayed with Snape and continued arguing.  
  
"Ah... I don't think the... ah... compulsion... is going to go away. Actually, I'm surprised you've  
resisted this long."  
  
Oh dear. Well, chalk one up for self control. "Ah... Hermione..."  
  
"You haven't!"  
  
"Not... really..."  
  
"What have you done, Harry?"  
  
"I... that is... we... it felt inevitable, Hermione... and it was... um... a lot of things actually..."  
  
The faint blush on her cheeks spread to the rest of her face, "What exactly did you do?"  
  
What did they do? Oh lord, if he could put it into words... "We kissed." Understatement of the  
bloody century. "And... touched... but we didn't... you know... get undressed..."  
  
"And you..."  
  
"Yes." Boy did he.  
  
"Frottage then." She suddenly looked more comfortable. Probably had something to do with big  
words. Pavlov would have a field day. "How do you feel?"  
  
Feel? How did he feel? He felt out of control. He felt preposterous. He felt... no crawling. Well,  
not as intense as before. "I think... I could go for hours without losing my concentration."  
  
She nodded as if she'd been expecting that. "That's what I thought. The book never mentioned an  
instance of the new version not being consummated."  
  
Gulp. Consummated.  
  
"And the original version well... like I said... I think it was the equivalent of marriage."  
  
"So you're saying that now..."  
  
"No... I don't think that what... you did... would... ah... qualify... magically, that is... And... I  
don't think that... once would be enough... Because of how long the newer version of the first  
part of the spell was in affect, among other things... it was supposed to last for several months  
anyway."  
  
He nodded dumbly.  
  
"There's one more thing."  
  
MORE? He was beginning to hate her.  
  
"Because The Headmaster used the older version, whether intentionally or not, to complete the  
spell, the fact that it worked, means, that on some level, you wanted it."  
  
"Wanted it?"  
  
"Both of you."  
  
"Both of us?"  
  
"I doesn't necessarily mean what you're thinking. Just having been affected by the first part for  
that long could have influenced you." She didn't sound convinced.  
  
"But you don't think that's what it is." It wasn't a question. But then, he'd worked enough things  
out to know the answer, at least for him. Not that he was ever going to admit it.  
  
"No." She shook her head. "I don't think the spell would be fooled by another spell."  
  
"So," he began carefully, knowing full well he'd probably have to repeat at least some of this, "on  
some level, we both wanted... something... from each other."  
  
"In basic terms. Yes."  
  
That was... that was.... Oh, he had no idea what that was. He wasn't sure he was ready to think  
about what that was. "Hermione, if I had walked up to you few days ago and told you I preferred  
guys, what would you have said?"  
  
Without a blink she answered. "What took you so long?"  
  
Part 24  
  
Snape stalked through the hallways almost grateful that Poppy had finally released him. The  
hospital was getting downright dangerous. Anymore annoying little intrusions in the form of  
insufferable twits or hormonal excursions perpetrated by annoying brats and he'd set the place on  
fire.  
  
He just wanted to be left alone. For however long he could handle it. Apparently the universe felt  
that was too much to ask. It made that abundantly clear when he nearly tripped over Draco  
Malfoy on the way to his dungeons.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, how can I help you?" Go away. Far away. Forget that he existed.  
  
The blonde looked down at his feet. "They haven't found him."  
  
"They haven't found who?" Like he had to ask.  
  
Draco looked at him with a stoic face. "My father."  
  
"They haven't found him?" He could have handled that better if he'd stood there gaping like a  
fish.  
  
"It wasn't him next to..." the boy flailed for words, "next to it."  
  
"Who was it?"  
  
"Some guy named Jonas Kirby."  
  
That was very bad. On a grand scale of bad things, it was the model that all bad things aspired to.  
"Thank you for telling me Mr. Malfoy, I shall take this to the Headmaster." So much for solitude.  
  
He looked grateful. "Thank you, sir."  
  
They began to separate. "Mr. Malfoy," he called, "in any event, you saved my life and I'm sure it  
was no easy task. Thank you."  
  
"I've heard stories of him, my father... when he was here. That's who my father was. Not  
whoever I killed today."  
  
He nodded. Now that was someone with perspective. Still, he made a mental note to keep and eye  
on Draco.  
  
He continued to the Headmaster's office with steely determination only to be deterred by one,  
very angry, practically snarling, Sirius Black. As if his day hadn't been bad enough already.  
  
"Snape!" Came the low growl.  
  
He had a feeling he knew what this conversation was going to be about. "Black."  
  
"I don't trust you."  
  
Oh. What a shock. "And I think you're a mongrel. Can I go now?"  
  
Black leaned closer. "I don't know what you did to him, but that boy who yelled at me today was  
not my godson."  
  
He blinked. "If you truly think that, then you don't know him at all."  
  
Eyes narrowed. "And I suppose you do?"  
  
The word 'biblically' sprang to his mind. "I've spent seven years attempting to teach him and  
nearly a week in his constant presence. I'd have to be the most unobservant idiot not to glean  
something from that time."  
  
Black crossed his arms. A look of dark humor spread across his face. "Oh this should be good.  
Tell me Snape, tell me about my godson."  
  
He's a hellion of a kisser. "I don't have time for this game, Black."  
  
Teeth were bared."You'll make time."  
  
Controlling, egocentric git. "No. I don't think I will." A strong hand wrapped around his arm and  
stilled any forward movement.  
  
"Tell. Me."  
  
"Fine." Stupid, annoying, little dog. "For one thing, the insolent child likes to speak his mind."  
  
"He's not insolent!"  
  
That comment had been the very definition of knee-jerk. "Not by your definition, no. Though I  
hardly think you've spent enough time with him to make that sort of qualifying statement."  
  
With clenched teeth, Black continued. "Just go on."  
  
Point.  
  
He rolled his eyes. "He has an annoying tendency to ask intrusive questions that are really none of  
his business." He also likes to stick his tongue down other people's throats without asking first. If  
that didn't qualify as intrusive, he didn't know what would. "He's right handed, but likes to stir a  
potion and steer his broom with his left." His legs were so strong he could probably crush his rib  
cage. "He likes chicken sandwiches but absolutely loves roast beef."The way he arches his back  
was obscene. "And he is not, by any stretch of the definition, a morning person. Are we done?"  
Please let them be done.  
  
"How do you know he's not a morning person?"  
  
What made him latch onto that? "If you really need me to explain it to you, you're more ignorant  
that I thought."  
  
Blacks nostrils flared. "I still don't trust you."  
  
"You sound like a broken record. Are we done?"  
  
"No." Of course not. "I want you to stop influencing him."  
  
"Black. Nobody 'influences' that boy, if they tried, they'd be run over by several irate faculty  
members and quite a number of angry students, not to mention, Mr. Potter himself." Black looked  
sufficiently boggled again. Now if he could just get past him. "Now, I was on my way to the  
headmaster's office when you so politely interrupted me. If you will remove your hand, I shall  
continue."  
  
The hand tightened. "If he comes out of this hurt-"  
  
"Yes, yes. You'll string me up by my fingernails. Now. Let. Go."  
  
The hand released itself. He shoved passed Black and didn't look back.  
_________  
  
His rooms. Finally. Peace and quiet.  
  
He took a quick moment to locate Potter in the Gryffindor common room before grabbing a  
bottle of brandy and the small jade statue that resided on his shelf.  
  
He poured himself a glass and studied the figurine he held in his hands. It was of a boy. Not more  
that 15 or 16. Smiling. He lightly traced the hair. He missed that boy. Before Imperius. Before  
sick and twisted mind games. Before the boy-had-lived. Lucius Malfoy had been his friend.  
  
His best friend. Confident. Lover.  
  
They hadn't been in love.  
  
But they'd loved each other, as much as they could.  
  
He hadn't had anyone like that since.  
  
When had he emptied the glass? He himself poured more of the amber liquid.  
  
There had been no defining moment when his best friend had finally slipped away. Just one minute  
there and another... not.  
  
He absently stroked the statue.   
  
He was getting maudlin. Damn alcohol.  
  
Oh look. His glass was empty again. Must remedy that.  
  
A small squeak signaled the opening of his doors. He lazily looked up to see Harry standing there  
looking unsure.  
  
"Why are you here?" No slurring. Not that far gone yet, apparently.  
  
Harry threw him a confused look. "You can't feel it?"  
  
He could. Feel it, that is. Like a million little bugs crawling under his skin. Working their way  
deeper. "What time is it?" How long had he been sitting there getting drunk?  
  
Harry shrugged. "After dinner."  
  
That long? The boy looked tired and his limbs felt to heavy to move. He put the glass on the table  
next to him and motioned for the boy to join him on the couch. They arranged themselves into a  
comfortable position.  
  
They shared an almost companionable silence until Harry asked, "What's with the statue?"  
  
Indeed. What was with the statue? "It is a remnant of a forgotten life." Waxing philosophical  
now. Another side affect of the brandy, no doubt.  
  
An amused, "You're drunk." came forth.  
  
"Not quite. But close."  
  
Curious eyes looked up at him. "Why?"  
  
He sighed. "This week has been one interminable, trying moment after another. The fact that I  
haven't been drunk before now says something about my character."  
  
Harry pondered that for a moment, then said, "I had an interesting conservation with Hermione.  
Considering all things. I think now would be the best time to tell you about it."  
  
Oh, that sounded foreboding. "Hold on." He refilled his glass. "Go on."  
  
"Well," he began, "she said a lot of things. I'm not really going to repeat a most of it on the off  
chance that you're not going to remember this in the morning."  
  
Smart. "Well. Go on."  
  
Harry took a deep breath. "Basically. We had to want it to happen."  
  
He snorted and rolled his eyes. It figured.  
  
"You're not mad?" Harry sounded surprised.  
  
"Oh, there's anger. Its just drowning in the liquor." He'd get angry tomorrow. Scream and yell  
and probably have an aneurism. Anything was better than admitting the boy might be right. He  
snorted again at his own thoughts.  
  
"Ah. Have anything else to say?"  
  
He turned an unsteady head to the boy. "I'm drunk, not stupid enough to open my mouth at this  
level of intoxication." He settled a hand in Harry's hairs and gently stroked himself to sleep.  
  
Part 25  
  
He awoke to small sparks of pleasure rolling through his body. He stretched and settled down  
getting more comfortable.  
  
It felt nice. Almost good enough to make him forget his blinding headache.  
  
Headache? Oh. Right. He'd drunk himself into a stupor.  
  
Maybe he should get something for the hangover. But he was comfortable where he was. He  
sighed. The pleasure spiked. Oh, where was that coming from?  
  
His breathing was becoming erratic.  
  
Oh, that felt good.  
  
Cracked open an eye.  
  
And found a completely asleep and utterly relaxed Harry Potter. Harry's lips were lax and open.  
Hair was strewn in every direction. His arm, which looked like the had once been haphazardly  
thrown around him but had now slid down and was cradled in his lap.  
  
Oh, his lap.  
  
With every breath each of them took, that hand brushed passed him.  
  
An electric shock went through him. Oh. It was getting better with each pass.  
  
He needed to move. Stand up. Which was a problem because his legs had become a jelly-like  
substance. Plus the need to breath was becoming a necessity.  
  
"Relax." Came a hushed voice from below.  
  
God, he was awake.  
  
"I'll relax when you move." His voice held a slight tremor.  
  
He felt Harry smile against his chest. "Ok."  
  
The touch became firmer and much more deliberate.  
  
He gasped and shut his eyes tightly. Because looking was just too much. "Stop." The tremor was  
getting worse.  
  
"Hermione told me something. She said she was surprised we'd held out as long as we had.  
Honestly, so was I."   
  
No thanks to him.  
  
Harry shifted a bit and pressed himself more firmly against his side, keeping up the maddening  
touching. "She doesn't think we're going to be able to hold off forever." He swung a leg over his  
lap and straddled his thigh.   
  
Slowly, Harry's left hand, palm flat and fingers spread, traced its way upward. He was wearing  
only his shirt and the heat that seared through it almost wrought another gasp from him. And the  
other hand...  
  
Oh god... the other hand.  
  
"We," he started, it came out a trembling rasp, "we really shouldn't be doing this. Harry... this is...  
there are so many things wrong with this."  
  
The hand had reached his neck and tangled with his hair. Harry leaned in, a hot hardness made  
itself known on his thigh, and whispered, "Can you stop? Because I'm not sure if I can."  
  
Stop? He could do little more than sit there and do nothing. He was afraid that if he moved it  
would be to wrap his arms around Harry and pull him in for a brutal kiss.  
  
Nimble fingers began to undo the buttons at his color. "In order for the spell to work. We had to  
want something from each other." The voice was again whispering in his ear. "If I wanted to, I  
think I could walk away."  
  
With a monumental effort he grabbed the hand that was unbuttoning his shirt and stopped it.  
"Then please, do so."  
  
"But I don't want to." Harry leaned in and gently nibbled just below his ear.  
  
He gasped again and his hips involuntarily thrust forward into that maddening hand.  
  
Harry worked his hand loose and resumed his task with the buttons. "I know what I want," lick  
"and I know what I'm doing." bite "I'm fully capable of saying the word no." suckle.  
  
'All I ask is that you always remember the meaning of the word, no.' Albus' voice echoed in his  
head.  
  
A thought suddenly whipped through his head. "How... ah oh... how did Hermione," gasp "...  
figure this out..." It was getting harder and harder to think.  
  
Harry continued to nuzzle the side of his neck as he answered, "Headmaster gave her a book." A  
quick nibble. "Said there were things he didn't need to know."  
  
"That manip- ah..."panting "manipulative bastard." His shirt was completely open.  
  
Harry began trailing wet, sucking kisses down his chest.  
  
Just because Albus, in his own roundabout way had given tacit permission did not mean he was  
going to give up any moral values he had, just because it was easier. "What... ah... what makes  
you think I ah... want to do this?"  
  
The hands and mouth stopped. He was that close to thrusting his hips to regain the friction.  
  
Serious green eyes looked at him. "You're right. Do you want this?"  
  
Damn him! He hadn't actually expected the little brat to actually ask. He opened his mouth to say  
the words, to send him away.  
  
No sound would come out of his mouth.  
  
Harry waited for a few moments then said, "It feels like the decision's been taken out of our  
hands and I don't like it. But maybe... Hermione made an interesting point."  
  
Catching his breath. "Do feel free to enlighten me."  
  
The eyes shifted away. "The spell that was used, in the second part, was an older form of the one  
I used in the first. The only way this particular spell would have worked was if we wanted it."  
They looked back up, meeting his lidded gaze, "We had to want something from each other."  
  
The look made his breath catch. "And what makes you think this was it?" Talk him down, change  
the subject.  
  
Ignore that hand that hadn't moved.  
  
"She didn't say it. But she didn't have to. The nature of the spell itself. It wouldn't have worked  
for just any old want." Harry briefly stroked him.  
  
Shudder.  
  
"And the spell," his voice was low and rasping, "what would it want?"  
  
"I don't know specifically, but I do know it was as binding as marriage."  
  
Marriage.  
  
There was a hell of a lot of intent behind that.  
  
Very specific intent.  
  
Shit.  
  
Green eyes implored him. "I'll walk away if you want." Shoulders slumped and he started to slide  
off his lap. "I'll go back to my common room." Harry stood up shakily and took a moment to  
compose himself. Then he turned and started to walk out.  
  
Oh god how he ached.  
  
"Harry." He called. His voice just barely above a rough whisper.  
  
He stopped. Feet from the door.  
  
He could see the tension in Harry's shoulders.  
  
"This isn't just about sex. For that spell to have worked. It couldn't have been just about sex."  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"I need to be sure you know what you're saying yes to."  
  
Harry slowly turned to face him. "There are a lot of things she told me, that made my head spin.  
The only thing that made it stop was being here, with you."  
  
"You really know how to lay out the drek, don't you?"  
  
Harry began to stalk back to him. "One of us has to." He was once again insinuated in his lap,  
hands poised and ready to resume.  
  
He couldn't be the one to give in. "Say yes." Please don't. "Tell me this is what you want." Walk  
away. Don't leave.  
  
"This," stroke "is," stroke "what," stroke "I," stroke "want."  
  
His hips jerked with each pass.  
  
Harry leaned in, lips grazing his, "Yes."  
  
That was it. He brought his arms up and around that warm, tempting body and crushed it to him.  
Their lips connected in a quick, sharp movement.  
  
Oh they were better than he remembered. Soft, malleable wetness greeted him, enticed him.  
  
They broke apart panting. Harry resumed his wet trail down his chest. He caught a nipple between  
his teeth.  
  
Oh god. Sparks were shooting everywhere. So good. Gasp. So good.  
  
Surprisingly nimble fingers found the fastenings on his trousers and opened them with alarming  
dexterity.  
  
Warm, strong fingers wrapped around him and started to move.  
  
Amazing. Oh sogood. Oh yes.  
  
He pulled Harry in for another dizzying kiss.  
  
He stretched out shaking fingers, looking for similar clasps on Harry's pants. Once past those, he  
reached in and encountered hot, firm flesh. Harry's gasp made him shiver.  
  
Pulling Harry close once again, he shifted his hand to encompass both of them. He buried his face  
in the hollow of Harry's neck and began to move.  
  
Gasp. Shudder.  
  
Ohgod. Oh oh oh.  
  
So good.  
  
Harry was sucking on his neck.  
  
Oh. Oh god. Don't stop. Can't stop.  
  
Harry was making small huffing sound.  
  
Yes. That's it. Closer.  
  
He shifted his head just enough to capture those amazing lips.  
  
More. Need more.  
  
His hand began to move faster.  
  
Oh that's it.  
  
Hips began to thrust. More friction.  
  
Oh, keep going. Yes. Yesyes.  
  
Oh god. Ohgodohgodohgod.  
  
Harry bit down on his neck.  
  
Yes. Oh yes. Yesyesyeysyesyesyes!  
  
Stroke. Once more.  
  
A frisson of power started at the base of his spine and sparked outwards. Every nerve tingled.   
  
And he knew. He knew Harry was on the same edge that he was.  
  
He knew what it would take.  
  
Sucking on a patch of skin right under Harry's ear, he gave two more firm strokes and-  
  
Pleasure exploded over them, in wonderful euphoric waves.   
  
He kept his hand moving until there was nothing left in either of them.  
  
Harry was lying, limp on top of him. Slowly catching his breath.  
  
He mumbled the beloved cleaning spell and gently coaxed Harry to stand.  
  
Silently he led them into his bedroom.  
  
Once they were laying down, Harry murmured, "See, feel better already."  
  
"Go to sleep." He did feel better. Marginally.  
  
Part 26  
  
The first thing he noticed upon waking, was that the headache was still there. The second was that  
he wasn't alone. Third, he was ridiculously relaxed. Considering he was waiting for several angry  
people to storm into his rooms and demand to know what he was doing, he should not be that  
relaxed.  
  
The warms lump resting partially on his chest stirred a bit before settling down again.  
  
"Mr. Potter."  
  
The lump twitched.  
  
"Mr. Potter, do wake up. It's morning and far past time for you to return to the dormitories."  
  
Harry just buried his face in his neck and mumbled. "Hermione knew where I was going. L'be  
fine."  
  
He really should encourage Albus to have a talk with the Head girl. Covering for people like that  
was a bad precedent.  
  
He shook the boy again. "Never the less, you should probably return."  
  
Bleary eyes opened and regarded him. "Why do you call me that?"  
  
"Call you what?"  
  
"Mr. Potter."  
  
Because he needed distance. "Because its your name."  
  
He felt shoulders shrug. "Just seems strange. That's all. I mean we're in bed together. And  
we've..." Harry started to hyperventilate. "We've... oh god... we've..."  
  
This was the panic attack he'd been expecting long before now.  
  
He slowly stroked circles on the heaving back. "Mr. Potter... Harry... You have to calm down.  
It'll only get worse." He sighed reproachfully. "This is why I told you it was a bad idea."  
  
"Not... not the problem." Harry hiccuped.  
  
"Then please enlighten me."  
  
"Its just... I... you're... a guy..."  
  
"A fact that has hardly been hidden from you." Understatement of the bloody year.  
  
Harry made an impatient huffing sound. "Would you shut up! I can't... this isn't something... I  
mean... I thought maybe... I've gotten to the point where... where thinking about it doesn't make  
me want to run screaming. But this is a whole hell of a lot further than thinking."  
  
Yes. Much more than thinking. This was digging a whole. "You weren't thinking this last night?"  
  
"The only thing I was thinking last night was that I needed you. Needed you so badly I couldn't  
think strait."  
  
"You were certainly thinking well enough for certain endeavors." Not that he'd been thinking at  
all.  
  
Harry just clenched his fists and closed his eyes.  
  
"Harry, stop. Take a deep breath. You'll make yourself sick" a snarling image of Black appeared  
in his mind, "and I'll no doubt be blamed."  
  
He watched Harry make a concerted effort to bring his breathing under control. "You don't  
understand. This is all so strange and confusing."  
  
"Believe it or not, you are not the first person to ever wake up and be appalled by who was  
sleeping next to them."  
  
"That's not... that's not the problem." Once more Harry closed his eyes. "I asked Hermione, what  
she would say to me, if I told her... I told her I liked... guys."  
  
"And she said?"  
  
"What took me so long?"  
  
Observant girl.  
  
"Its just, that there's this part of me that I barely knew about. But she knew. The spell knew. But  
I didn't." Pleading eyes turned to him. "How can I not know that about myself?"  
  
He struggled with words for a few moments. "The human mind is a strange and dangerous  
minefield. One never knows what thought they will step on next."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I can't deny that last night was amazing." Harry started. "But it was nothing like what I thought  
it would be."  
  
IT? Good god. The boy was...   
  
He couldn't even think it. He suddenly felt like a dirty old man.  
  
"You've had a paradigm shift." He said.  
  
Confused. "A what?"  
  
"A shift," he explained, "in the perceptions of how you see yourself and the world. It can often  
be... disconcerting."  
  
"Did you ever have a... paradigm shift?"  
  
No. Never. Not even the first time he found his way into bed with Lucius. "Yes." Damn. He  
hadn't meant to say that. "Once or twice."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
He woke up next to his best friend. "I realized I didn't want to be a death eater."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
He watched Lucius lose himself. "I realized that life wasn't what I thought it was." He realized  
that he didn't have to do what had been expected of him his entire life. "Albus was surprisingly  
understanding."  
  
"He has this habit of already knowing your decision before you've even made it. Do you find it as  
annoying as I do?"  
  
Dryly. "More so, I would imagine."  
  
Harry tightened his arms and ingratiated himself further in the embrace. "This really isn't all about  
sex is it." It was a statement more than a question.  
  
It was also a topic of conversation he wished to avoid. Like the plague. "I thought we'd  
established that. Pay attention."  
  
"Stop redirecting."  
  
Damn. The boy had figured it out. Giving up. Slightly. "No. This is probably not all about sex."  
  
Suddenly. "I've always wanted to be married."  
  
Speaking of minefields. "Why would that be an aspiration of yours? Surely your goals are more  
career oriented."  
  
Shrugging again. "Marriage means family."  
  
Such a simple statement.  
  
One that cut him to the core. "Is that all it is to you?"  
  
"Of course not. Just... before now, I've never experienced anything else that could be put under  
'reasons for marriage'..." Harry trailed off.  
  
Ignoring any implications that may have been in that statement he said, "You really should return  
to the dormitories before you give the vultures any more fodder for gossip."  
  
Harry nodded and began to untangle himself.  
  
He also began to rise from the bed. He followed Harry into the main room. "You may return after  
dinner, as long as you've already established an... alibi." That sounded incredibly bad.  
  
Harry nodded and turned to leave. Then quickly, obviously on impulse, he darted back, wrapped  
his arms around his neck and pulled him down for a tingling, searching kiss. It lasted for several  
moments.  
  
Finally, he pulled Harry gently away. "Go."  
  
And he left.  
  
He wandered back to his desk, doubting his sanity.  
  
This was getting ludicrous.  
  
Bloody intent.  
  
Don't think about it. Deal with it later.  
  
There was a letter on his desk.  
  
The envelope was blank, except for his name. But the scrawl was all too familiar.  
  
Lucius.  
  
With what he could almost call trepidation he opened it.  
  
~~~~~~~   
Dear Severus,  
  
I'm writing this on the off chance that you'll actually read it after recognizing the handwriting. My  
old friend, I find there is much to atone for. You've probably already figured out that the body  
you recovered, was not mine. There was a plan involved in it. What exactly, I don't know. He  
didn't trust anyone in the end, not even me. But I think I am involved, after all, the polyjuice  
potion was made to look like me. Why else keep me out of that final battle?  
  
I find myself remembering our school days. I miss you. I recall our more carefree days with great  
affection and much wistfulness. I write to you in hopes that you'll remember what we were. That  
you'll believe me when I say that his death has thrown off the Imperius curse that I have long  
labored under. Much of the last 20 years is not more than a haze of forced actions and pain. I  
know that I have hurt you and I am greatly sorry for it.  
  
I need your help. And I hope you can find it in yourself to give it.  
  
My owl will return in two days.  
  
I await your answer.  
  
Yours,  
Lucius  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Well if that just didn't make his week.  
  
  
Part 27  
  
Harry quickly wound his way up from the dungeons to the Gryffindor common room. It was  
becoming a well known path. He checked the time, if he changed quickly, he could still make it to  
breakfast. With classes cancelled, meal times had been extended to add leniency to the day.  
  
He gave the password to the fat lady and walked in. Hermione, Ron, Parvati and Lavender were  
all sitting there. Ron and Hermione looked unhappy. Parvati and Lavender looked... smug.  
  
Oh no.  
  
He waved to them while walking past, in an effort to maintain normalcy.  
  
"Good morning, Harry." Parvati called after him. "Nice to see you."  
  
He turned and gave his best smile, "Good morning, Parvati."  
  
"Late night?" She asked.  
  
Feign confusion. "What?"  
  
"Well," She smiled, " you didn't come back to the dorms last night."  
  
Lie. Lie fast and lie well. "I went to the library to look something up, I must have been more tired  
than I thought, because the next thing I knew it was the middle of the night. The hospital was  
closer so I just went there. Madame Pomfrey wanted to check on me this morning anyway."  
Wow. That was convincing. Falling asleep in the library.  
  
Parvati turned wide eyes to her friend. "Lavender, has the castle been redesigned since the last  
time we went to the library?"  
  
"I don't think so, Parvati." Lavender had the same annoying tone of voice.  
  
"Well then," More face sincerity, "how could Harry get to the Library by way of the dungeons."  
  
Fuck.  
  
"I don't know." Lavender answered.  
  
"You know Lavender," Parvati began in a conversational tone, "I don't think Harry went to the  
Library at all."  
  
Intrigued. "Really?"  
  
Parvati continued with a conspiratorial wink. "I think he spent the night in the Dungeons."  
  
More fake intrigue. "Why would he do that?"  
  
"I don't know." Parvati turned to him. "Harry?"  
  
Double fuck.  
  
Try reluctant honesty. Maybe that will work.  
  
He sighed, letting his shoulders slump slightly. "All right. The truth? I went to visit Professor  
Snape. I wanted to thank him for saving my life."  
  
Lavender. "And that took all night?"  
  
He hated logic.  
  
"We talked for a while and I fell asleep. I really was more tired than I thought." Right. They'll  
believe that. He took a moment to realize that the sarcasm in his head was probably a bad thing.  
  
"That's nice Harry, if a bit strange." Parvati began.  
  
"And if you didn't have that hickey, we might even believe it." Lavender concluded.  
  
So fucked.  
  
Automatically his hand went to the exact spot he knew they were talking about. He shivered at  
the memory even as he frantically searched for something to say instead of simply staring dumbly  
at the two girls.  
  
He felt a slim hand slide around him and soft lips pressed to his cheek.  
  
"That was me." Hermione.  
  
Wow. Good friend. Must buy chocolate. Or a book. She'd like a book.  
  
The twin gaping looks that were being directed at him were almost enough to make him  
remember that he wasn't supposed to rip himself out of her embrace. As it was, he couldn't help  
tensing a little.  
  
"Sorry," Her voice was soft, a timbre he'd never heard before. "I didn't realize I'd left a mark."  
She let a single finger trace it softly.  
  
He needed to do something. Something to complete the picture. Not just stand there like a  
moron. "It's ok." He leaned in and whispered something in her ear. When he pulled back he was  
rewarded with a glassy eyed Hermione. She looked at him for a few seconds before swooping in  
and claiming his lips.  
  
It wasn't a bad kiss. But it didn't compare. Not even in the same league.  
  
It ended leaving both of them slightly breathless. They turned to face three pairs of wide eyes.  
  
Ron. Right. He made a note to have a talk with him.  
  
"See you at breakfast?" He asked.  
  
"Sure." She nodded.  
  
With that, he headed up to his room.  
  
He was going through his trunk looking for clean clothes when Ron came in.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Not looking up. "Yeah, Ron?"  
  
"Where'd you get the hickey?"  
  
He sighed and sat back. "You shouldn't ask questions that you don't want answers to."  
  
Sounding outraged. "Harry!"  
  
"Ron, I... Have you talked to Hermione? About what she read?"  
  
"No." Ron's voice sounded flat.  
  
Oh goody, because that would make this so much easier. "There's a lot going on here. More than  
what I told you yesterday." Ron looked like he was about to object. "No, I didn't keep anything  
from you, I just didn't know about it when we talked."  
  
"What's going on Harry?" There was genuine worry in Ron's voice.  
  
His shoulders slumped. "We... I... a lot. Not much of it I understand, yet. The spell, I don't think  
it created, I think it just... enhanced something that was there before."  
  
"Harry, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Part of the spell."He said, "The second part. It wouldn't have worked if we both hadn't wanted  
something from it."  
  
"Something?" Ron asked. "What was this something?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Well I bet I know what Snape wanted."  
  
"No," He said with a certainty. "Ron. It couldn't. The spell doesn't work like that. It was meant  
to build... trust... between two people who already have... a relationship... not perfect strangers."  
  
"That doesn't explain the hickey." Ron was getting angry again.  
  
"I know." His shoulders slumped further. "Can we hold off on the explanation until I know for  
myself?"  
  
"But, it was Snape?"  
  
"Yes." Finally. A question he could answer.  
  
"He didn't make you?" Uncertainty edged Ron's voice.  
  
He snorted. "I practically made him."  
  
Ron visibly restrained himself from comment for a moment. "Ok... One more question."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How did you make Hermione do that?"  
  
He grinned and resumed searching through his trunk. Smiling triumphantly when he found his  
quarry, he pulled out a small book and handed it to Ron.  
  
Ron examined it. "This is a dictionary."  
  
"I know. Look up some choice big words, use them at appropriate times. You'd be surprised."  
  
Ron blinked. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. "Brilliant!"  
  
"Isn't it though?"  
  
Ron paged through the book with a new appreciation. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."  
  
Feigning upset. "Not just for my looks?"  
  
"Prat. I'll see you at breakfast." Ron waved and left.  
  
He continued to smile as he pulled out clean clothing to wear. He'd enjoy planning a very public,  
very loud break up with Hermione. If they did it right, they might even be able to make some  
money off of it.  
_________  
He walked into the Great Hall feeling lighter than ever. Practically whistling by the time he'd sat  
down at the table.  
  
He hadn't noticed almost every eye turn to him. Or both Ron and Hermione's tense posture.  
  
"Harry." Hermione she gestured that he should sit next to her.   
  
He sat and she immediately took his hand.  
  
Something in her tight grip made him take a closer look at his surroundings. Carefully leaning in,  
he whispered in her ear, "What's going on?"  
  
She whispered back, "Parvati and Lavender have already spread the rumors."  
  
"They can't unspread them?"  
  
"They started to, but then Snape came in."  
  
Harry surreptitiously turned his gaze to the Head table. Snape was sitting there. Glaring at his  
food. The Headmaster leaned over to ask him a question and Snape turned his head and-  
  
Shit.  
  
Plain as day, high enough so that not even his high collar could conceal it. Where neck met jaw.  
  
A bite mark.  
  
His.  
  
Part 28  
  
He carefully folded the letter and placed it gently on his desk. He ran shaking hands through his  
hair before getting up to retrieve a clean robe.  
  
He needed to talk to Albus. But not before putting in an appearance at breakfast. It would do the  
Slytherins good to see him.  
  
He wouldn't be able to get some time alone with Albus until afterwards anyway.  
  
A quick glance in the mirror confirmed that he looked presentable, if a bit bedraggled. He longed  
for a shower, but there just wasn't time at the moment.  
  
He swept through the corridors with his usual grace and aplomb.  
  
The Great Hall was mostly filled when he made his appearance. The only seat available at the  
head table was next to Poppy. Thankfully she was deeply engrossed in conversation with Minerva.  
  
He took his seat and began to serve himself.  
  
"Oh, that poor boy." He heard Minerva say.  
  
Poppy nodded her head vigorously and answered. "Imagine how Hermione feels."  
  
Gossip. An annoying fact of life at Hogwarts.  
  
One that was making his life increasingly difficult.  
  
"She seems to be taking it well, but girls that age always put on a face." Minerva added.  
  
"And imagine Mr. Potter. Being separated from his girlfriend like that."  
  
That caught his attention.  
  
Poppy turned her gaze to him. "Severus, I do hope you have been accommodating."  
  
His jaw clenched tightly. Without returning her regard, he ground out an answer. "For one, I  
cannot believe that you lack the simple common sense that should tell you that discussing this in  
public is the height of foolishness. Second, he has not asked for time, so there have been no  
allowances to make. I assure you, if he wanted something he would have had no qualms in asking  
for it."  
  
Or taking it without permission.  
  
He had learned that the hard way.  
  
He was in the middle of pointedly not thinking about Harry and his... girlfriend when the  
Headmaster called his name.  
  
"Severus, so good to see you this morning."  
  
He turned his head to acknowledge the Headmaster. "Good morning Albus. I was hoping to have  
a word with you after breakfast."  
  
Whatever answer that might've been given was lost in gasp from his right.  
  
Several actually.  
  
"Severus." Minerva was looking at him with wide eyes.  
  
Irritation was beginning to set it. The old bat was starting to get on his nerves.  
  
"You're neck..."  
  
In a flash of sensation he remembered strong teeth clamping down and sucking.  
  
He dropped his fork, it made a loud clattering sound hitting his plate.  
  
Too loud.  
  
The room had become hushed whispers. He dared a glance at the children.  
  
And was assaulted with more than a hundred sets of stunned eyes.  
  
Shit. This was going to be worse than yesterday. By leaps and bounds.  
  
He returned each and every one of those stares with a scathing glare. Daring them to say  
anything.  
  
They eventually returned to their breakfasts.  
  
He returned to his. But his appetite was lost.  
  
He settled for glaring at the offending pieces of food. They annoyed him. Looking happy and  
carefree the way they did.  
  
Good lord.  
  
He was going insane.  
  
Worse. Harry had appeared.  
  
"Severus." Albus was calling him again.  
  
He debated the merits of ignoring him and just stalking out of the room.  
  
"Severus." The voice called again.  
  
He gave in and looked at the Headmaster again. "Yes?"  
  
"I believe now would be a good time to have that talk."  
  
A master of the understatement as always.  
  
He allowed a few minuted between the Headmasters exit and his own. The pretext must be kept  
after all.  
  
What a joke.  
_________  
  
When he arrived, Albus was sitting calmly behind his desk.  
  
Arrogant old man.  
  
"Severus, please have a seat."  
  
He remained standing. "I originally had a specific topic of conversation in mind. But after my  
bumbling display of ineptitude this morning, I have a feeling you wish to discuss something else."  
  
Albus nodded. "I do."  
  
They faced each other in silence.  
  
Finally he broke. "Well? No scathing lecture? No shaking head? No damnable all knowing  
answers?"  
  
"There's time for all of that. I'm more interested in why you wanted to talk to me."  
  
Why HE wanted to talk? Why the old-  
  
"Albus, I love you dearly, but there are some days you come perilously close to a long and painful  
death."  
  
A congenial smile. "That's nice Severus."  
  
He gave up. He just didn't have the strength today.  
  
Sitting down, he pulled the letter from his robes and placed it in front of Albus. "Its from Lucius."  
  
Albus looked at the parchment for a long moment before asking him. "What does it say?"  
  
Good question. "A lot... and very little."  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"He... he's asking me for help."  
  
Leaning forward, Albus asked, "What kind of help?"  
  
Common courtesy. A chance to be heard. To be forgiven. "The same kind he asked for 20 years  
ago."  
  
"Ah."  
  
Sage man.  
  
He continued. "He asked for a response in two days."  
  
"What are you going to say?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
There was a tense silence.  
  
"Severus, talk to me."  
  
He opened his hands in supplication. "What would you have me say?"  
  
Tired blue eyes entreated him. "Something. Anything. You've been entirely too silent recently."  
  
He slumped forward, hands on his knees. "I miss my life. I miss being in control. I miss knowing  
what I was doing. I miss making the easy decisions. I miss my best friend. But worst of all, I miss  
being in denial." He felt drained even saying that much.  
  
"Denial?"  
  
He looked Albus in the eyes. "For once, play against character and tell me you had no idea what  
you where doing."  
  
"How could I? I hadn't read the book."  
  
"Damn it, Albus! Stop! Just once! Stop..." He was shaking. Why was he shaking.  
  
His eyes burned.  
  
No.  
  
Severus Snape Did. Not. Cry.  
  
He blinked and willed them away.  
  
Albus got up and circled around his desk and gently gathered him into a hug, the crawl that had  
become a permanent fixture momentarily increased. "Severus, I know this is hard, I only have to  
look at your face to know that. Now, let's take this one thing at a time and see what we can do."  
  
It sounded so simple when said like that.  
  
Albus released him from the embrace and took the chair next to him. "Now, let's start with  
Lucius."  
  
"Lucius. Yes. He says that with Voldemort's death, he's thrown off Imperius."  
  
"That's an... interesting theory. Do you believe him?"  
  
"I don't know. I want to."  
  
"Don't let what happened in the past, dictate your actions now, Severus."  
  
Easier said than done. "That does not tell me what sort of answer I should give."  
  
"What answer would you like to give?"  
  
He wanted to give him a chance. The same chance he had gotten so many years ago. "I want to  
hear what he has to say."  
  
Albus nodded thoughtfully. "Tell him to come here."  
  
"Are you crazy?"  
  
"What better place to defend ourselves? Invite him here in three days time, we will be prepared."  
  
Either the man was brilliant.  
  
Or off his rocker. It really was tough to tell sometimes.  
  
"Now for the... gossip."  
  
How very delicate of him. "Yes. The gossip."  
  
Albus smiled. "Its not as bad as you think. It can be dismissed as a strange coincidence for the  
moment."  
  
He shook his head. "That will only work for so long."  
  
"I know." That smile was back. He didn't like that smile. "I have something in mind for the longer  
term."  
  
"Are you going to enlighten-"  
  
A loud knocking interrupted him.  
  
"ALBUS! I KNOW HE'S IN THERE!"  
  
Black.  
  
So much for discretion.  
  
Part 29  
  
Before the Headmaster could open the door, the banging resumed.  
  
"LET ME IN!"  
  
Albus stepped up to the door, leaned against it and appeared to listen for something. After a few  
moments he smiled and calmly opened the door.  
  
He watched Black fall flat on his face.  
  
Albus really did love him.  
  
Before Black could move, Albus sat on him.  
  
He allowed Black to struggle for a bit before saying, "Stop that my dear boy, I would really rather  
I did not have to pull my wand on you."  
  
Eventually the struggles subsided. Black settled for glaring menacingly in his direction.  
  
Albus patted Black gently on the head and he found himself suppressing a snicker. "Now Sirius,  
to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"  
  
"I want to know what ths greasy bastard did to Harry!" Black snarled.  
  
Albus just smiled warmly. "An interesting question Sirius, but one I think should wait until Harry  
is here as well."  
  
More snarling. Perhaps he'd start drooling next. "I don't want Harry anywhere near him!"  
  
He looked at the overgrown child in front of him and sneered. "Black, could you please use some  
common sense for once in your miserable excuse for a life?"  
  
"Don't you dare speak to me! You slimy miserable no good excuse for a human being."  
  
"At least he listens." Harry said from the doorway.  
  
He did?  
  
He knew Harry had been there long enough to hear the last exchange.  
  
Albus still had that insufferable smile on his face. "Ah, good. Come in Harry and close the door  
behind you."  
  
Harry quickly closed the door and sat down in the chair that was closest to him.  
  
Sides were, apparently, already being taken. For once, he approved.  
  
Albus continued, "Now Harry, has Severus done anything that you don't approve of?"  
  
Harry let a small smile dance across his lips. "Not one thing."  
  
"I've heard the rumors, Harry! You can't possibly tell me that you wanted him too... too..."  
  
Harry leaned in and with a serious look, asked, "What rumors did you hear exactly?"  
  
"That you spent the night in the dungeons!" Black spat the words out.  
  
Being reasonable. "I've done that before, you knew that."  
  
"Yes, but then you both show it with those.. Those.. Ugh, I can't even say it."  
  
Both?  
  
He examined Harry's neck.  
  
Oh. Well, they'd both been enthusiastic in the end.  
  
"I still maintain that nothing happened that I disapproved of. I'd also like to add, that despite the  
circumstantial evidence, you still haven't proven anything."  
  
He blinked. Well that was interesting way to go.  
  
Black looked serious. "Harry, I'm not stupid."  
  
He couldn't help it. Really. "Could have fooled me."  
  
Black's head whipped around to look at him. The chords on his neck were standing out. "You  
stay out of this!"  
  
Sometimes, Black made it too easy. "I would, but you insist on dragging me into it."  
  
"Albus, would you please let me up!"  
  
"I would, my boy, but I'm very comfortable at the moment."  
  
Black was going to start to looking like a temperamental toddler if he continued to waves his  
arms around like that.  
  
Scratch that. Make that, MORE of a temperamental toddler.  
  
Albus began again, "Now Harry, is there anything else you would like to say?"  
  
Harry nodded. "Sirius. Thank you for caring about me. It means a lot, really. But, you need to  
understand that I'm not 11 anymore. I don't even feel 17 most of the time. I can take care of  
myself. I can make my own decisions and face the consequences of my actions."  
  
"But Harry, it's Snape!"  
  
This had to be good for him. "You're powers of observation astound me, Black."  
  
"Harry, what about Hermione?" Black was obviously trying a different tactic. Guilt. Too bad the  
boy was master himself.  
  
Without hesitation Harry answered. "I'm sure, her and Ron will be very happy."  
  
Black was incredulous. "That's callous."  
  
With crossed arms. "It would be, if I were actually seeing her."  
  
Obviously at a loss for words, Black sputtered. "But... I thought..."  
  
Once more, he couldn't stop himself. "Obviously you didn't."  
  
Harry glared at him. He was getting good at that. "You, stop helping. You, stop getting your  
information from Parvati."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
Shrugging. "Because she likes to cause trouble."  
  
Before anyone could say anything else there was another loud banging at the door.  
  
"DUMBLEDORE, LET ME IN!"  
  
Fudge.  
  
Well, this just got a lot more interesting.  
  
"Harry, if you would." Albus gestured to the door.  
  
Opening it revealed Cornelius Fudge and two Aurors.  
  
"Cornelius, twice in two days. This is a pleasure."  
  
"You can't protect him this time, Dumbledore!"  
  
"What do you mean, Cornelius?"  
  
"A parent contacted me this morning, it seems Snape has been having... relations," he rolled the  
word in his mouth, making a grimace, "with a student." He pointed to Harry. "That one, to be  
exact."  
  
"Cornelius. I know that I do not work for the Ministry, but I would think that I would recall if the  
law about accidental magic had been repealed."  
  
Brilliant. Use the law Albus. The man won't know what hit him.  
  
Fudge was starting to turn colors again. "Surely this case does not apply!"  
  
Harry spoke up. "It does. I accidently Pledged us."  
  
"Accident?"  
  
Albus nodded, "Yes, an accident. One compounded my me, I'm afraid."  
  
"By you?"  
  
Was gaping like a fish catching?  
  
Albus put on his best regretful face. He must practice it in a mirror. "It seems, purely by accident  
of course, in an effort to give them some control, I may have bonded them more closely than I  
intended to."  
  
"Bonded?"  
  
One word questions were quite becoming on Fudge.  
  
"Yes. It seems, technically, they're married."  
  
"MARRIED?!?"  
  
Who knew four people could be so synchronized in indignation?  
  
"Only technically. When the spell that we used became obsolete, it was determined that the spell  
alone could no longer be legal and binding. The correct term for them would be engaged."  
  
"ENGAGED?!?"  
  
Really, one would think the four of them had orchestrated it.  
  
"My godson is not engaged to THAT man!"  
  
This was getting ridiculous. "Oh, do shut up, Black."  
  
Fudge was still spluttering incoherently. "What are you suggestion Dumbledore?"  
  
"Simply, that anything that may or may not have happened, is completely covered under the  
bylaws of the school."  
  
"Bylaws."  
  
Yes, he could definitely get used to one word answers from the man. Though, he almost sounded  
intelligent, that could be dangerous.  
  
Albus nodded once again. "Yes, the school bylaws have a section on engagements and an even  
smaller section on marriages. Put plainly, anything that happens between the couple in question, is  
none of the school's business unless it directly interferes with the welfare of either of the  
participants or the school itself."  
  
"That pertains to arranged marriages." Fudge looked smug.  
  
Albus shook his head. "Technically." He corrected. "That's what this is."  
  
That slow painful death was starting to sound more and more delightful.  
  
Part 30  
  
"But he's a teacher." Black objected.  
  
He snorted. "Another brilliant deduction be the resident geniuses."  
  
Albus shook his head. "The bylaws don't make any distinction between teachers and students."  
  
Fudge looked outraged. "But surely they weren't meant for this type of situation!"  
  
Albus looked at him seriously. "I think they were. I think, that is why there is no mention of  
teachers or students in the entire section. In any event, the law clearly states that any one who has  
been inflicted with a magical spell that causes behavior not normally associated with legal lines,  
are cleared of any responsibility, if the casting was done without their knowledge or consent. You  
have two witnesses that will testify to that fact Cornelius."  
  
Fudge crossed his arms. "Fine." Said through clenched teeth. "He didn't do it on purpose."  
Pointing to Harry. "What about him?"  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "It was an accident. I wasn't looking where I was going and I didn't  
think..."  
  
It was catching.  
  
Fudge turned to Harry. "Do you have proof?"  
  
Not looking happy. "Other than my word? Do you really need more?"  
  
Before another argument could erupt, Albus interrupted. "Harry, please get the bottle that is  
sitting on my desk. Severus, I believe you know how to administer it."  
  
Harry handed him the bottle.  
  
Verituserum.  
  
He motioned for Harry to come closer.  
  
Harry opened his mouth and-  
  
Visions of last night assailed him, warm skin, lithe tongues, gasps of pleasure.  
  
With shaking hands he placed three drops squarely on that tongue.  
  
"How do I know that's the real thing?" Fudge argued.  
  
A smile graced the Headmaster's face. "Harry, what do you think of me?"  
  
Harry obviously struggled for a few moments before responding. "I think you're a kind, gentle  
man. You're smart and cunning and sometimes I wonder if you really were a Gryffindor. All that  
planning and manipulating. I know you need to do things that aren't all together honest to run this  
place, but its starting to get annoying when you repeatedly pull the carpet out from under me. Not  
to mention your habit of answering questions that I haven't even asked yet."  
  
It was close enough to his own assessment that he began to doubt his sanity.  
  
"Thank you, Harry." Albus turned to Fudge. "Is that enough proof?"  
  
"For now."  
  
"Now Harry, did you cast The Pledge on purpose?"  
  
"No." Said with absolute certainty.  
  
Not that it had ever been in doubt in the first place.  
  
"Harry, did Snape do something to you?" Black asked before anyone could stop him.  
  
Stupid, annoying, shortsighted moron!  
  
Never ask such a vague question to someone under the influence of verituserum!  
  
He watched Harry's eyes begin to roll up into his head and hands grip the arms of his chair tightly.  
  
Quickly, he grasped the closest hand and said, "Harry! Look at me!"  
  
"Don't touch him!" Black roared.  
  
"Shut up, Black! Harry, look at me! He didn't finish the question. The question was, 'have I done  
anything to you in the last 30 seconds?' Do you hear me? The last 30 seconds."  
  
Harry closed his eyes tightly and nodded. Slowly muscles relaxed. Taking deep breaths, he  
answered. "Yes. You talked to me, you touched me. Made the crawling go away. Feel safe."  
  
"See! He deliberately stopped Harry from answering!"  
  
"For once in your life would you look past your own nose! You nearly killed him! Even he,"  
pointing to Fudge, "knows not to ask an open ended question to someone under the influence of  
verituserum!"  
  
"Sirius," Albus explained, "Harry would have been impelled to answer the question you asked  
with as many specifics as possible. Asking the question the way that you did, would have forced  
Harry to tell you about everything Severus has ever done to him, ever."  
  
"Oh." Oh look, who knew Black could sound contrite?  
  
Without looking away, he offered a snide remark. "Brilliant as always Black." He then checked  
Harry's pulse.  
  
A bit fast.  
  
"Open your eyes." Slightly dilated. But they had been closed for a while. He began to trace slow  
relaxing circles on Harry's hand. "Take deep breaths. Don't hyperventilate."  
  
Harry visibly slowed his breathing. Muscles relaxed further.  
  
"How is he?" Black asked, obviously concerned.  
  
"Fine, no thanks to you." He didn't remove his hand.  
  
"Cornelius,"Albus redirected, "do you need anymore proof that this was an accident?"  
  
Grudgingly. "No. Tell me Dumbledore, how do you intend to solve this... problem?"  
  
Hands raised in submission, Albus answered. "There really isn't much more to do but leave them  
to their own devices."  
  
"Leave them to their own devices?" This from Black who was starting to look very angry again.  
  
Shrugging. "I cannot break the spell. There is no way that I can think of that would not drive both  
of them insane."  
  
A comforting thought.  
  
"Are you saying, that they're engaged? Permanently?" Black was beginning to growl again.  
  
"Well no,"Albus answered, "if they chose to get married or the ministry reenacts the law,  
retroactively, that makes the spell a legal marriage, then they will not be engaged anymore."  
  
Black looked devastated. "God, Harry, I'm so sorry."  
  
So was he.  
  
"Don't say that." Harry snapped.  
  
"Harry?" Black sounded confused.  
  
He wasn't the only one.  
  
"Don't be sorry for me. Its not such a horrible thing, to always have someone."  
  
"But HIM?"  
  
"Sirius. Its... I... Forget it. You'll never be able to understand. Something inside me makes me  
doubt you'll even try." Harry looked defeated and very tired.  
  
He continued to hold his hand.  
  
Having heart to heart talks while doused with verituserum were not a good idea.  
  
"That's all well and good," Fudge started again, "but I simply cannot have a student and a teacher  
carrying on."  
  
Indignantly Harry responded. "We're not carrying on."  
  
Fudge just shook his head. "Call it whatever you like, but I know what that spell does and I won't  
have it happening in this school."  
  
"What would you suggest Cornelius?" Albus was obviously trying to mediate.  
  
Of course, that required two reasonable minds.  
  
Fudge looked triumphant. "Either remove one of them from this school or marry them."  
  
"WHAT?" He was not getting married. Correction, he was not being forced into marriage.  
  
"That way if any of the parents ask, I have the full backing of the school's laws as well as the  
ministry's."  
  
Damn the man. He was making sense. Of all the times for that to happen.  
  
Albus simply nodded. "I trust you will use discretion in answering questions of that nature?"  
  
Anger. "Don't tell me how to do my job."  
  
"I'm not. I would simply like to make sure that their privacy is respected for as long as possible."  
  
"Fine." Fudge paused. "I expect proof to come across my desk in a matter of days, Dumbledore."  
  
Albus nodded once more. "Of course, Cornelius."  
  
Fudge and his goons left.  
  
"Albus, you can't be serious!"  
  
Black was once again proving his inability to follow a simple conversation.  
  
He never thought he'd envy him.  
  
Albus looked genuinely sorry. "I don't see much of a choice."  
  
Black turned to Harry. "Harry, tell him you don't want to do this!"  
  
Shaking his head. "I can't Sirius."  
  
"See Albus he- WHAT?"  
  
He WHAT?  
  
He had to stop agreeing with Black.  
  
Harry shrugged. "It solves a lot of problems at the moment and it keeps the Professor out of  
trouble."  
  
"That's hardly a reason to get married." Black stated.  
  
Yes, hardly a reason.  
  
Harry shrugged again. "Then in six months, when the school year is done, we can reevaluated the  
situation."  
  
Black looked at Harry carefully, or as carefully he could from his place on the floor. "You really  
want this?"  
  
"Yes." Certainty.  
  
Yes?  
  
Fuck. The verituserum. He meant it. Every word. Black must have realized it too because be  
began to back down.  
  
"Severus, Harry, why don't the two of you go back to whatever you were going to do for the  
day. I have several arrangements to make. I'll find you later."  
  
With that, they were dismissed.  
  
Part 31  
  
They stood in silence outside of the Headmaster's office.  
  
Harry looked at him, "You probably shouldn't wait around here for Sirius to come out."  
  
He nodded dumbly, at a loss for words.  
  
Married?  
  
His life was spiraling out of control.  
  
Harry spoke again. "We should probably...uh... talk about this, but..."  
  
"You can't be seen following me back to the Dungeons." He thought for a few moments. "As we  
said earlier, tonight. Try not to be followed."  
  
"I'll wear the my cloak."  
  
He nodded, "Don't bother knocking."  
  
"Ok."  
  
They stared at each other awkwardly.  
  
Harry's eyes darted around the room. He seemed to make a decision of some sort because those  
green eyes settled back on him.  
  
Quickly, Harry darted forward and kissed him soundly before pulling away and walking down the  
hallway.  
  
Oh, this was going to be interesting.  
  
In an act of self-preservation, he too walked away from the door and down to the dungeons.  
_________  
  
Harry returned to his common room only to be faced with nearly a dozen curious stares.  
  
Ah. The hospital must have just let more people out today.  
  
Ok, it wasn't a dozen. It was seven and out of those seven there were only two he really needed  
to worry about.  
  
Though he didn't want to worry about any of them. He wanted to go back to bed and forget  
about things for a little while. Then, maybe try to understand the implications of everything  
without an audience.  
  
"Hello Harry." Fred? No George.  
  
"Where've you been?" George? No, Fred.  
  
Oh, his head was already beginning to spin.  
  
"Headmaster's office." Well, the truth was better than nothing.  
  
"Why?" This from Lavender who had that gleam in her eye again.  
  
"Fudge wanted to talk to me." He looked her in the eye. "Apparently there are some vicious  
rumors going around."  
  
She had the grace to blush.  
  
"I thought you were my friends. I can't believe you would DO something like that. Risk a  
Professor's JOB for a crude, malicious joke."  
  
"His job?" Parvati had the look of someone who hadn't thought that far ahead.  
  
"Yes!" He answered vehemently. "His job. That rumor is the type of thing that gets teachers fired  
and students EXPELLED."  
  
Lavender looked appalled. About damn time. "Harry, you didn't-"  
  
"No." He interrupted. "I didn't. Very nearly did, though. Seems Fudge got a number of Owls  
from very irate parents." He noticed it was getting easier to stay mad. Maybe he had it coming.  
"Oh, and Professor Snape still has his job, not that any of you care." Where had that bit of anger  
come from?  
  
"If you would just tell us what happened..." Parvati began.  
  
He shook his head. "Since when is m life an open book? Don't I get some privacy? Why do I have  
to report to you," he waved his arms around to indicate the whole of Gryffindor, "about my  
PRIVATE affairs. No, that does not mean the rumor is true." He quelled the questioning looks. "I  
have appointments with the Headmaster, appointments with Madame Pomfrey and even  
appointments with Professor Snape. Not that its any of your business."  
  
"You have to admit that it looked-"  
  
"I don't CARE what it looked like! It was none of your GODDAMNED business. If you were  
really that worried you should have gone to a teacher, like our head of house. I don't see how any  
sort of rational thought process could have led you to the conclusion that spreading a rumor was  
the best way to go."   
  
It felt ridiculously good to let that out. To let something out. Catharsis, thy name is anger.  
  
He really had been spending too much time with Snape.  
  
"Harry, why do you have all those appointments?" It was Dean who asked this time.  
  
"What part of, none of your business, do you not understand? All you need to know is that the  
Headmaster found nothing wrong. Because there was NOTHING TO FIND!"  
  
Oh. Skirting the edge on that one.  
  
Silence reigned for a few moments, then Ron spoke up for the first time. "Harry, Hermione, lets  
go up stairs."  
  
He gave one last glare to everyone in the room and then nodded.  
  
Once up stairs and behind closed doors, Harry collapsed onto his bed, hands covering his face.  
  
"You ok, Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
"I don't know, ask me again in six months."  
  
"Harry?" He opened his eyes. Hermione was looking at him curiously. "What really happened in  
Dumbledore's office?"  
  
"What didn't?" Oooh. MORE Sarcasm.  
  
"Harry?" Ron again. They really must practice this in their off time. It was getting scary.  
  
"I know, I know. I just. Lots of things ok. Give me a minute."  
  
They nodded in unison. He shivered a bit. Very scary.  
  
A few deep breaths. " I'm..." It wouldn't come out. Another deep breath. "I'm... I'm getting..."  
Don't hyperventilate. "I'm getting married."  
  
Synchronized eye blinks greeted that statement. He wished they'd stop that.  
  
"I'm not kidding."  
  
"You're getting married." Ron looked... confused.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?" Hermione had the same look of determination she got when she was studying. He  
preferred it when they were reading each other's minds.  
  
"Fudge is making us." It disturbed him that, that was the most normal answer of the bunch.  
  
"Making you?" Ron at least wasn't exploding... yet.  
  
"He said, he didn't care how many loop holes we'd managed to create, he won't have a student  
and teacher... carrying on." He shrugged. "So he wants us to create one more."  
  
"The Prat is probably enjoying putting you through hell." Ron decided.  
  
Dryly. "You couldn't tell from the color his face turned during the conversation."  
  
"So when's the big day?" Hermione asked.  
  
"According to Fudge, as soon as- wait. You're being very... accepting. Both of you." He eyed  
them suspiciously.  
  
They both blushed furiously.  
  
Oh. Not a good sign.  
  
They remained obstinately silent. He was getting a VERY bad feeling.  
  
"Well?" He prompted feeling for all the world like a scowling school teacher. Bad habits definitely  
rub off.  
  
"Erm." Hermione began very articulately. "We.. Er.. Well, that is... Last night... we were  
talking..."  
  
"You were talking... and?"  
  
Ron spoke up. "I was trying to understand... You know. What you're going through..."  
  
"Uh huh..." He urged them on. Oh this could be very interesting.  
  
"See... the thing is," Ron started again, "it wasn't just us talking. We were visiting Draco."  
  
Draco?  
  
"We've been friends this year." Hermione answered his unspoken question. "He's been helping  
Ron in transfiguration and I was paired with him for my Arithmancy project..."  
  
"Uh huh... Go on."  
  
Ron picked up the train again. "I know he's... you know... kind of like you, I guess... So I talked  
to him about it."  
  
"Ron!" Couldn't ANYONE keep a secret.  
  
Ron shook his head violently. "Nothing specific. He's not going to spread rumors anymore. He  
didn't even try to guess who. Though he probably knew."  
  
"Uh huh." This was getting better and better.  
  
Ron went on. "An hour or so into it... he offered to... kiss me..."  
  
"Uh huh..."  
  
"And I accepted..."  
  
"Uh huh..." He looked over at Hermione who was slightly flushed. The glazed look was back in  
her eyes.  
  
Blink.  
  
His eyes narrowed. "You were there for this weren't you." He accused.  
  
She let out a big breath. "Oooh yeah."  
  
He looked at her, thoughtfully. "So that explains this morning... what I whispered... wasn't just  
the big words was it?"  
  
She nodded her head.  
  
Interesting. "So why is that making you more.. Agreeable today?"  
  
They both blushed scarlet. It was nice being on the other side of this conversation.  
  
Ron mumbled something.  
  
"What?"  
  
He repeated it. "Didn't stop with kissing."  
  
Blink. Well.  
  
He resisted the urge to laugh out loud. "Ok then, where does your newfound tolerance fit in?"  
  
Ron shrugged. "I just... I understand circumstances overwhelming you, that's all. Plus, I'm finally  
able to admit to myself that Snape has great hands."  
  
Understatement of the bloody year.  
  
Part 32  
  
Despite the sheer ridiculousness of the situation, Harry couldn't help but wonder what had  
happened between their awkward conversation where Ron was worried he wanted to kiss him and  
today's sentiments of understanding.  
  
"Ron. You're my best friend, so I don't want you to take this the wrong way but..."  
  
"What, Harry?" Ron looked anxious.  
  
"You..." he began, "you hypocritical, sexual deviant you!" Despite the accusation and some  
feelings of hurt, he couldn't repress the smile on his face.  
  
"Hey!" Ron could do indignant with the best of them. "Speaking of hypocrites."  
  
He shook his head. "Sorry, its just... Is it me or does the irony in this place seem to have its own  
personality?"  
  
Dryly Hermione answered him. "Its not just you."  
  
"I feel like a horrible friend." He felt dejected. What happened to knowing everything about each  
other.  
  
A confused expression crossed Ron's face. "Why?"  
  
He shrugged. "I had no idea that was anywhere near happening."  
  
Ron snorted. "You weren't the only one."  
  
Harry continued. "I knew Draco wasn't that obnoxious little boy from first year, or even third  
year, but I didn't know you were friends." He didn't know they talked outside of class. He didn't  
know they talked inside of class.  
  
Hermione spoke up. "The time we spend with him is time that you're not around." She shrugged.  
"You're not in advanced Arithmancy with me and why would you be anywhere near Ron's  
tutoring sessions?"  
  
He continued on. "You'd think I would have noticed, though. I mean. I know you guys talk about  
him. I feel like I haven't been paying attention."  
  
Hermione offered a comforting hand, he again noted that the touch felt uncomfortable, but he  
didn't shrug it off. "You're a busy person and you have a lot of things to worry about. I'm not  
upset."  
  
"Neither am I." Ron added.  
  
"You should be." He contradicted.  
  
"Ok." Hermione agreed. "Maybe we should be, maybe we are, give my body a few more hours to  
recover from last night and I might have the energy to get upset."  
  
"RECOVER?!"  
  
Ron blushed again. "Long night." Was all he offered.  
  
"Yes," eyes narrowed, "speaking of that night. I think I deserve some details."  
  
Ron looked at him like he was nuts. Hermione, on the other hand... Hermione just gave him a  
knowing smile.  
  
"Ok Harry," she said, "you can have details."  
  
So, she began.  
_________  
  
Hermione was sitting in the common room reading the book that Dumbledore had given her when  
a disruptive rocking of the couch she was sitting on brought her out of her fog. She looked up to  
see Ron grinning innocently from the other cushion.  
  
She gave him a disinterested stare. "Can I help you, Ron?"  
  
"Come with me." He smiled again.  
  
She knew this was going to be a bad idea. "Why?"  
  
"Because."  
  
"That's a very compelling reason. Let me stop everything I'm doing and follow you on your  
whim."  
  
"I knew you'd see it my way."  
  
She sighed, a little melodramatically, but a girl deserved one of those now and then. "Why am I  
following you Ron?"  
  
Ron's face sobered for a minute. "I want to go visit Draco."  
  
Worried now. "I thought he wasn't in the hospital wing."  
  
Ron shook his head. "He's not. I... I heard a rumor."  
  
"A rumor?"  
  
"I overheard two professors talking. They say... they say he killed his own father."  
  
"Overheard?" She knew him better than that.  
  
He flushed. "Ok, eavesdropped. Anyway, I have bottle of something special and I thought we  
could go share it with him."  
  
Teasing. "Something special?"  
  
His eyes narrowed. "You know what I mean."  
  
She smiled at him. "Ok. Lets go."  
  
"That easy?"  
  
"I doubt our prime wanderer of the Slytherin hallways is out tonight."  
  
Ron blink and shuddered a bit. "Right. Thank you for reminding me."  
  
She shook her head. "Grow up, Ron."  
_________  
  
They hesitantly knocked on the portrait in front of them. After a few tense moments it opened to  
reveal a tired, disheveled Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Weasley, Granger." He greeted them.  
  
"Cut the last name stuff, will you." Ron showed off his prize. "We come bearing gifts. Let's take  
advantage of the fact that you're Head boy and get pissed in privacy, eh?"  
  
Draco looked at them carefully for a moment before nodding sharply and walking away from the  
open doorway.  
  
As close to an invitation as they were going to get, apparently.  
  
They entered and the portrait closed behind them. Draco had already gotten out three glasses.  
  
"You have the strangest things in this place."  
  
"I do?"  
  
"Tumblers?"  
  
"Family heirloo-" The voice wavered, "heirlooms. They were a birthday gift."  
  
Without a word, Ron poured them each a glass. He raised one and waited for the others to do the  
same. "A toast then. To-"  
  
"Finally getting my way." Draco interrupted.  
  
She and Ron both looked at him for a moment.  
  
He looked right back and asked. "What? I'm not allowed to have layers?"  
  
Deadpan. Draco's most formidable weapon.  
  
"Layers, yes." Hermione answered. "Hints of a nervous breakdown? No."  
  
Draco smirked. "Why not, I think I deserve some inappropriate humor right about now."  
  
Hermione raised her glass again, "Let the inappropriate humor out after a few belts, for now, let's  
drink to, endings."  
  
Draco gave her a calculating stare before nodding, "To endings."  
  
They threw their heads back in unison.  
  
They also coughed in unison.  
  
Draco looked at Ron in disgust. "Where did you get this swill?"  
  
Ron quirked his head. "The twins."  
  
Draco shrugged. "Another?"  
  
Why not?  
_________  
  
The bottle was nearly empty. They were sprawled, in varying degrees, all over the couch.  
  
"You know," Ron began, "I'm very relaxed."  
  
Draco snorted a bit. "I'm glad this made you feel better."  
  
Hermione looked concerned. "You mean it didn't make you feel better."  
  
Draco shrugged. "A bit. But..."  
  
"But what?" Ron asked.  
  
"I could really go for a good shag."  
  
Ron looked at Draco strangely. "Got anyone in mind?"  
  
Draco let his head fall back and roll listlessly. "I don't know. Hmmm No one specific. But I think.  
A guy. Definitely a guy."  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes a bit. "Could you explain that?"  
  
"Explain what?"  
  
"The guy thing."  
  
"Why?" Draco leered. "You interested?"  
  
Ron whapped him on the shoulder. "Don't be a git."  
  
"I'm not being a git, I'm propositioning you. There's a difference."  
  
Hermione watched the conversation with interest. It was starting to look interesting. She was  
suddenly very happy she was a quiet drunk.  
  
Ron shook his head. "Stop that. Really. A friend of mine just, I think anyway, the conversation  
was very confusing, decided he likes blokes."  
  
Draco leveled a calculating stare at both of them.  
  
Even drunk, she noted, he was quick.  
  
But Draco didn't say anything other than, "You don't just *decide* you like blokes."  
  
"Then what do you do?"  
  
Draco paused, obviously trying to find the right word. "You... realize it."  
  
"How?"   
  
She made a note to remember how nosy Ron got when he was drunk.  
  
Well. Nosier.  
  
Draco eyes unfocused for a moment. Then he shook his head and those eyes clearly stated that he  
had come to a decision.  
  
Uh oh.  
  
"There are lots of ways." Draco started. "An ill timed erection. Strange dreams. Lusty thoughts."  
Clear blue eyes looked through shuttered eyelashes. A deeper, huskier voice continued. "Someone  
throwing you against a wall and shoving their tongue down your throat."  
She shivered. Just a bit.  
  
"What's it like?" Another question from Ron.  
  
"Kissing?" Draco again paused to search for the right words. "Same as with a girl, just different  
things to hold onto."  
  
Ron sat up a bit straighter. "Liar."  
  
Draco somehow managed to swagger while sitting down. "I'll prove it."  
  
She leaned a bit. In the name of science, of course.  
  
"Prove it?" Ron was starting to lose his cool.  
  
"Let me kiss you." Draco's offer was met with silence. He persisted. "Come on. It won't do  
anything more than prove that kissing is nothing more than two sets of lips mashed together."  
  
Right. That's all it would be. "Go on, Ron. Let the little ferret," Draco pinched her leg for that,  
but she ignored him, "have his way with you. It'll help you understand."  
  
Ron stared at her for a moment and then sighed. "Fine. Kiss me."  
  
Yes. Kiss him.  
  
Draco slowly moved from his position in the corner and slid down to the floor where Ron was  
leaning on the couch.  
  
Ron's eyes had gone wide.  
  
Draco threw a leg over Ron and settled comfortably on his lap.  
  
"Hey!" Ron protested. "I thought this was just a kiss."  
  
"It is." Draco threaded fingers into bright read hair. "But I wouldn't feel right if I didn't do this  
properly." He leaned in.  
  
Oh wow. That. Was. Hot.  
  
Draco obviously knew what he was doing. Ron's hands were clutching at slim shoulders.  
  
Not pushing away. Clutching desperately.  
  
Draco tilted his head slightly and sucked in a lush bottom lip.  
  
Ron gasped.  
  
She watched Draco expertly delve his tongue in.   
  
And out.  
  
And in.  
  
And out.  
  
Well, if it felt like this just watching.  
  
The kiss was coming to an end. Draco was slowly pulling away, sucking on that lower lip for as  
long as possible.  
  
She watched them stare at each other for several seconds before making a decision. She drained  
what was left in her glass and slid to the floor to join them.  
  
With more dexterity than she ever thought possible she snaked into the nonexistent space between  
the two boys and claimed Ron's mouth for herself.  
  
She could feel Ron's surprise but he didn't hold out for long. Soon she was crushed against him  
involved in a dizzying kiss.  
  
She felt another body mold itself to her from behind. Careful lips sucked behind her ear.  
  
A warm flush spread through her entire body.  
  
An especially strong suck, followed by a nip turned the warmth into a low, aching throb.  
  
Arms from behind snaked past her and gathered both her and Ron into a tight embrace.  
  
They finally ended their kiss. Ron looked dazed. She was panting like a race horse.  
  
A husky voice came from Draco, "Leave now if this isn't what you want." She got the feeling that  
he wasn't talking to her.  
  
Ron had a strangely intense look on his face. "Bloody hell." He whispered and reached for the  
remained liquor. After downing it in one gulp he said, "Why not. I can think of worse ways to  
spend an evening."  
  
Draco's arm snaked up to Ron's head and pulled him forward into another deep kiss. Then  
whispered, "This is equal opportunity, Ron."  
  
Ron nodded and slowly, tentatively ran a hand down the strong back.  
  
She arched her back, letting them know that she was still there. Draco obligingly caresser an  
aching breast.  
  
"Oh." Her voice was a breathy moan.  
  
Lips found their way to hers again and caught them in another embrace.  
  
Buttons were beginning to open. Shirts slide off.  
  
The first press of skin to skin was extraordin-  
_________  
  
"STOP!" Harry sounded desperate. "I get the picture." In color. With sound. And special affects.  
  
He checked the time. Hours to go before he could go back to the dungeons.  
  
He looked at his friends. "He's that good a friend?"  
  
Ron and Hermione shared a look. "Yes." They answered at the same time.  
  
Spooky.  
  
Part 33  
  
Severus Snape was once again debating the merits of getting drunk. The bottle in front of him  
offered respite, but at what cost?  
  
With a sigh he put the bottle back in its place and went to get some tea. Harry would undoubtedly  
be showing up and it might be a more intelligent idea to be sober this time around.  
  
Though, not the more appealing one.  
  
There was a knock at his door. Obviously not Harry, as the boy seemed to have appropriated his  
rooms for his own.  
  
He debated not answering. That lasted as long as it took for the Headmaster to poke his head in.  
  
Damn the man!  
  
It was one thing to know that his wards were a joke to him, it was another to have it thrown in his  
face at every opportunity.  
  
"Albus," he scowled, "you have the manners of a first year."  
  
A congenial smile. "Thank you, Severus."  
  
"Fuck you, Albus."  
  
Shaking his head. "Under other circumstances... but I'm afraid your card is undeniably full."  
Albus came to stand directly before him. "I trust you don't use that language around the children.  
Otherwise I might not be so forgiving."  
  
There was an idea. "Maybe I should. Then I wouldn't have to have this sham of a marriage."  
  
Scruffy eyebrows lifted. "Sham, Severus?"  
  
That's right you old coot. Sham. "Why are you here?"  
  
Albus looked at him calmly. "I've made some arrangements that I thought I would inform you of.  
They do, after all, involve you."  
  
"Oh yes, god forbid I know what's going to happen to me *before* the fact."  
  
"Now Severus..."  
  
"Just tell me." Tell him so he can go back to his misery in peace.  
  
"First, Lucius. Have you written to him yet?"  
  
Had he? It was less writing and more blood letting. "Yes, I wrote to him. I need only wait for his  
owl to return, the day after tomorrow, to send it. Assuming he receives it and has taken leave of  
all of his senses, he will walk through the main gate, the morning after."  
  
Albus nodded. "I have arranged for several Aurors as well as some of the faculty to be here for  
the meeting."  
  
"So it will be party, then."  
  
The all too familiar sound of tsking was reaching his ears.   
  
Ah Albus' disapproval. Whatever would he do?  
  
He supposed it would matter more, if cared at the moment. A thought suddenly occurred to him.  
  
Why not?  
  
"Albus, I think, perhaps Draco should be allowed to watch. I do not think he will appreciate being  
told, after the fact." He directed a glare at the older man. "I know I don't."  
  
Albus just twinkled his eyes at him. "I think that is a good idea, I have a feeling that Harry will be  
there as well. I will leave it you, however to explain the situation to them."  
  
To HIM?  
  
That meddling, interfering, intrusive, officious, downright ANNOYING, old man.  
  
Of course, he'd rather have the painful, emotionally fraught conversation with Draco, than the  
painful, emotionally fraught conversation with Harry.  
  
He was sure he had several good reasons too. But, for his own sanity, he did not try to name  
them.  
  
Instead of answering the Headmaster he simply said, "I assume you had another reason for  
coming down here and working on my ulcer?"  
  
"Ah, yes. The marriage." Albus offered a comforting look.  
  
Joy.  
  
He continued. "I have the paperwork, it simply needs signatures and witnesses. And of course the  
erm.. Traditional vows."  
  
There was something to be said for tradition. In this case, it meant short.  
  
Albus went on. "All that is needed now, are for the two of you to find your witnesses. Two for  
each."  
  
"I know how this works Albus."  
  
"Just making sure. Do you know who you will ask?"  
  
He glowered. "There aren't many choices. I'm assuming we're still going to keep this a secret. Its  
always fun to engage in an exercise of futility."  
  
"Severus, you may ask whomever you want. I will not object."  
  
The measure of kindness was... disconcerting.  
  
He nodded and considered carefully. "Then I will ask Minerva and... Draco."  
  
Albus smiled. "Intriguing choices."  
  
"Intrigue had nothing to do with it. It simply makes explaining things to Draco much more  
agreeable." To himself. "It also avoids *another* annoying conversation."  
  
"If you say so, Severus."  
  
"I do." He did.   
  
Albus gave him a knowing smile.  
  
He glared.  
  
Did. Did. Did.  
  
He received a chuckle for his efforts and once again reminded himself that the damned man could  
*not* read minds.  
  
He watched Albus moved to the entrance of his chambers. "Tomorrow, after lunch, should be  
soon enough for the minister. Is that enough time for you?"  
  
Time for what? To dig a deeper hole? Throw himself out of the astronomy tower and leave the  
mantel of responsibility to another unsuspecting victim.  
  
And probably kill Harry in the process.  
  
A sharp nod. "Yes. Enough time. I suppose you want me to tell Harry that as well."  
  
"Thank you, Severus."  
  
Before he could say another word, Albus was gone.  
  
How did he *do* that?  
  
That bottle of brandy was beckoning him.  
  
Unfortunately, it was an even worse idea now.  
  
He was about to waste time reading his the remaining pieces of drivel he had yet to grade, when  
he knew.  
  
Harry was on his way down.  
  
He once again contemplated the brandy.  
  
The decision was taken out of his hands when the door to his chambers opened.  
  
As Harry walked into the room, he absently noted that it was getting worse.  
  
He wordlessly gestured to the couch. Harry nodded and changed direction to it.  
  
They arranged themselves comfortably and only then did they relax.  
  
"How was your day?" Harry asked him.  
  
He looked down tiredly. "Must you start with the inane questions already?"  
  
"Is it so hard to believe I asked because I want to know?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Fine. I don't care. I'm just being polite. How was your day?"  
  
Sighing. "It was slightly more intolerable than normal? How was yours?"  
  
Harry started to answer, but paused and seemed to think something over. "It was... very... very  
strange. On the brighter side, I think I've gotten a handle on the rumors."  
  
"Oh really? Dare I ask how?"  
  
Harry looked at him and raised an eyebrow in an uncanny impression. "I yelled at them."  
  
That sounded nice. "Was it as enjoyable as I imagine?"  
  
"It was almost as enjoyable as..." Harry trailed off.  
  
He nearly made the mistake of asking what, but he stopped himself on time. He needed to talk to  
the boy before... he got distracted.  
  
"Albus paid me a visit."  
  
"I'm sure you had fun too. What did he say?"  
  
"We spoke on several matters." More than he was probably aware of. If the conversation was par  
for course. "He asked me to relate some of them to you."  
  
"Politely too, I imagine."  
  
"The way he asked... is beyond words. That is not the point."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Well?" Harry prompted.  
  
"He spoke to me of our upcoming nuptials."  
  
"Oh. Do you always use big words when you're uncomfortable?" Harry smirked. "Never mind.  
That would mean you're uncomfortable all the time."   
  
A raised eyebrow. "He informed me that everything has been arranged. All that is left is to decide  
on the Witnesses."  
  
Harry nodded and swallowed thickly. "I'll talk to Ron and Hermione in the morning." He  
hesitated a moment. "Who are you asking?"  
  
"Minerva and Draco." There was a pregnant pause. When it became apparent that Harry wasn't  
going to comment, he continued. "No objections?" He sneered.  
  
"No... uh... Draco... Somehow I think he'll take it in stride."  
  
"The boy does that have that habit."  
  
Harry snorted. "Boy does he."  
  
He became aware of a soft stroking on his chest. He captured the hand. "There is one other  
matter we need to discuss." He said seriously.  
  
Harry gave him a serious look. "You sound ominous."  
  
"I always sound ominous."  
  
"True." Harry agreed. "Well go on. Ruin my day further."  
  
"This morning. I received a letter. From Lucius."  
  
The lax body next to him became tense. He stroked the soft hair beneath his fingertips.  
  
"And?" Harry asked.  
  
"He wants... a second chance."  
  
Harry was looking at him with an uncomfortable intensity. "Why do we care?"  
  
WE? "He was... my friend once. A long time ago. I watched him... disappear."  
  
Harry blinked and looked at him for a moment. "Wait. I thought Draco killed him."  
  
"Apparently there was a liberal use of polyjuice potion."  
  
"Ah." Understanding. "Its probably a trap, you know."  
  
"I'm not an idiot."  
  
"You're meeting him anyway."  
  
Not a question, he noted.  
  
Maybe he was an idiot.  
  
"Yes. I have spoken to Albus, it has been arranged, two mornings from now, Lucius Malfoy will  
apparate at the edge of the forbidden forest and walk into Hogwarts."  
  
Harry shook his head in disbelief "That's insane."  
  
Very. "Yes. I know. There will be several teachers and a number of Aurors waiting. We will see  
what he wants and... let the scene play out."  
  
Harry sat up straighter. and looked at him intently. "What aren't you telling me?"  
  
Enough to fill a book. "What are you talking about."  
  
"There's something you're not telling me."  
  
He sighed. "Can I not have something for myself?"  
  
Harry leaned into him and gently stroked a cheek. "Tell me." he whispered.  
  
He looked into those eyes for a moment before turning away and closing his own. "I loved him."  
He murmured.  
  
Oh, that hurt.  
  
"What happened?" barely a whisper.  
  
He almost missed the soft request. "I don't know." Hoarse. "I wish I knew. But I don't." Gaining  
momentum. "One day he was there, the next I looked up and... gone."  
  
Harry inclined his head and took him into an enticing, warming kiss. Agile lips sucked and pulled.  
Danced across his in an incredibly arousing way.  
  
They broke apart and Harry looked into his eyes. "You want to give him a second chance."  
  
Again. Not a question. A statement.  
  
He nodded dumbly, "If I deserved one. So does he."  
  
Harry nodded, "I'm going to be there too."  
  
"You are not."  
  
"If you get killed, I'm going to be very pissed." Harry swept in for another kiss.  
  
"You'll be a distraction."  
  
"I'll be more distracting on the other side of the castle."  
  
Damn the boy for making sense.  
  
"Fine. Have your way. Why should today be different from any other day?"  
  
Harry looked at him in an exasperated fashion. "Just... shut up and kiss me." An impish smile.  
"I've always wanted to say that."  
  
He looked at the creature sitting practically on his lap. "We are getting married." He'd said it. The  
castle was still standing, will miracles never cease? "Can I keep what is left of my propriety for  
another evening?"  
  
Shaking hands touched his neck. "Then I'm going to have to leave. I can't..." the husky voice  
trailed off.  
  
He trailed trembling fingers across a soft cheek. For only the second time, he truly initiated the  
situation.   
  
Soft lips parted for him and the moist cavern behind them was heaven.  
  
They drew apart panting. "That is not what I meant."  
  
"Oh." An articulate response left Harry's lips.  
  
"I meant, that we should keep to the boundaries that we have previously kept."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They were kissing again. Harsh, wet, demanding kisses that drugged him and made him loose all  
sense.  
  
He undid the clasp on Harry's robe, then attacked the buttons underneath. Strong ropey muscles  
greeted his questing hands. He caressed every patch of skin he could find, working his way up to  
two peaked nipples. At the first touch, Harry gasped.  
  
Keeping a slow circle around one tight bud, he moved his lips to the darkened bruise on the side  
of Harry's neck.  
  
Another gasp. Followed by a breathy moan. "I don't... don't think... this... is going to be enough."  
  
He worried the flesh beneath his teeth for a few moments before responding. "I know." Another  
lick. "I have an idea."  
  
He slowly wound a trail of nips and kisses down the strong chest. Around the belly button he slid  
to the floor. And continued his descent.  
  
Once he was eye level with the noticeable bulge, he allowed his nimble fingers to undo the clasp at  
that held the trousers closed.  
  
He heard an, "Oh god." from above.  
  
Once opened, he delved into the convenient opening and wrapped his long slim fingers around a  
pulsing hardness.  
  
Another moan came from parted lips. Whose it was, he had no idea.  
  
Didn't really care anymore.  
  
Harry spread his legs, giving him better access.   
  
He allowed himself an experimental stroke or two. Hips twitched forward.  
  
"Oooh. Don't stop."  
  
He noted that when the mouth was not otherwise occupied, it said delightful things.  
  
He listed forward and gently licked.  
  
Harry's breath hitched.  
  
Perfect. Keeping a firm grip on the base, he gently placed the head in his mouth.  
  
"Oh god."  
  
And sucked.  
  
"OH GOD."  
  
Up.  
  
Down.  
  
In.  
  
Out.  
  
Harry was panting and moaning with each movement. "Yes. Yes. Oh god. That is.. Oh god."  
  
He pulsed in time with the hardness in his mouth.  
  
He hummed.  
  
Another gasp. "Wait!"  
  
He stopped. But didn't remove himself.  
  
Harry struggled to move his legs, he felt something clawing at his sides.  
  
Oh, he was removing his shoes.  
  
The legs settled down again. Knees wide and feet...  
  
...in his lap.  
  
Oh.  
  
He resumed.  
  
The feet rubbed.  
  
Oh.  
  
Creativity should be rewarded. He swallowed and strengthened the suction.  
  
The feet skipped a beat, but continued.  
  
Soon. It had to be soon.  
  
His right hand went down to guide one foot while his other sought out that place right... behind...  
there!  
  
Harry bucked into his mouth.  
  
Oh. Now they were getting somewhere.  
  
Oh. Yes.  
  
Good. Very good.  
  
Something electric was starting at the base of his spine and working its way upward.  
  
So good.  
  
Oh god.  
  
Don't stop. Don't stop.  
  
Harry was close. So close.  
  
They were so close.  
  
He increased their pace.  
  
Oh yeeeees. Yes. Yesyesyesyes.  
  
Muscles tightened.  
  
Sweet anticipation.  
  
On a precipice. The edge.  
  
Sensation swamped every sense.  
  
There! There!  
  
Then, it doubled.  
  
And they fell. 


	2. 34 35

Part 34  
  
He woke to the sound of deep breathing. The slow even movement at his side added to his  
relaxation and nearly lulled him back into sleep.  
  
That is, until he remembered what happened last time Harry had spent the night.  
  
Maybe he should have gotten drunk. Then at least he'd have a headache to distract him.  
  
The warm tufts of air against the side of his neck was starting to feel a little too good.  
  
He gently shook the closest shoulder. "Harry."  
  
"Mmmphgm."  
  
"Harry." A little louder.  
  
Stretch. Squirm. Settle.  
  
Sigh. Time to try another tactic.  
  
He carefully rolled them over on to their sides and cupped the slack cheek. The gentle press of  
lips on lips sparked the familiar sensation in his body.  
  
"Mmmmm"  
  
He couldn't agree more. The kiss continued in a languid fashion, until they were both breathless.   
  
"Good morning." His voice was a husky timbre.  
  
"Guh."  
  
Well he was awake. But apparently coherency seemed to be far behind. "You need to get back to  
your friends and I need to find Draco."  
  
The body in his arms stiffened.  
  
"Right. Yes. What are you going to tell him?" Harry sounded dismayed.  
  
Good question. "A great many things, I suppose. I believe he should know about his father."  
  
Harry stiffened up further. "Right. His father." he said and started to roll away.  
  
He tightened his arms around Harry, reflexively.  
  
Without looking at him "Let me up."  
  
He let go and watched Harry practically throw himself out of the bed. "You're in a bad mood."  
He drawled.  
  
Harry's shoulders visible tensed. "No I'm not."  
  
Bullshit. "I'm not an idiot."  
  
Harry swiftly turned around. "For someone who's not an idiot you certainly feel the need to point  
it out often enough."  
  
That. Arrogant. Boy.  
  
Seething. "Get dressed and get out."  
  
"What's the matter Snape," Harry spit his name out like an epithet, "You can put people down,  
but only if they don't fight back?"  
  
"I don't like being blatantly lied to." His voice had gone deadly quiet.  
  
"Too bad!" Harry's nostrils were flared and he was breathing heavily.  
  
"You miserable wretch!" He swung his legs out of bed and stood up. "Can't you control yourself  
for ten whole minutes!"  
  
Harry crossed his arms. "Apparently not!"  
  
He stalked across to room to where Harry was standing and grabbed him forcefully. "What is the  
matter with you!"  
  
"Nothing!" Harry barked.  
  
"Why do you insist on lying!" He snarled.  
  
"Because, I don't want you to know-" Harry cut himself off.  
  
A deft shake to the arms he was holding. "Don't want me to know what?"  
  
"Nothing!" Harry turned his face away. "Just let me go."  
  
He lifted a hand and forced Harry to look at him. "What. Is. Your. Problem."  
  
With and angry snarl, Harry finally gave up. "Lucius Malfoy makes me angry! Ok! Happy?"  
  
Blink. That was not what he had expected.  
  
"He makes you angry?" He sneered. "That is what this little temper tantrum is about?"  
  
"Yes! He makes me angry. He's using you! Using whatever you had to get what he wants!"  
  
He looked down at the green eyes. Intense emotions swirled about. "That's not the whole truth."  
  
Harry leveled a glare in his direction. "What, you haven't humiliated me enough?"  
  
"Humiliate?" He seethed. "I have not humiliated you. Humiliation is when two of your colleagues  
ask you, if in between make out sessions you've been allowing your partner to see his  
GIRLFRIEND!"  
  
"Girlfriend? What the hell are you talking about?" Harry yelled back.  
  
"I don't know!" He stopped and took a deep breath. "I don't know." He said more calmly. "What  
are you talking about?"  
  
Harry's eyes were blank for a moment. Then they widened. "Oh! No. Not like that. She was  
helping me get rid of the rumors."  
  
"A cover?"  
  
"I guess. Was mostly her idea. We didn't have time to discuss it before hand."  
  
"That explains one thing. Now, why are you angry?"  
  
Harry looked up at him defiantly. "Why were you?"  
  
Why couldn't he just answer a damned question? "You are infuriating."  
  
Said calmly. "So are you."  
  
"I was angry because... because you are the most frustrating person alive."  
  
"Not that. The other thing."  
  
"The other thing?" Feigning innocence.  
  
"When you mentioned Hermione, you're mouth did that thing it does in potions when Neville's  
screw ups are particularly spectacular."  
  
Glare.  
  
Harry didn't budge.  
  
"Fine. I don't know why. Something about being asked about your girlfriend... irked me."  
  
"Ah." Harry started to wiggle out of his arms.  
  
"Uh uh. Tit for tat young man. Why. Were. You. So. Angry."  
  
Another defiant stare. "Lucius Malfoy makes me angry."  
  
He pushed Harry a few feet until he was flush against the wall. Using his body weight, he trapped  
the young man and cupped his cheek. "Why?" He asked with an intensity that he hadn't expected.  
  
Softly but steadily Harry began to speak, "I think of him and I think of you and it makes me...  
itch. Worse, he's probably using you to get away, or to get to me and you don't deserve that."  
  
He stared at Harry for a few moments. How did one respond to that?  
  
He swooped in and kissed the young man warmly. Almost tenderly. When they parted he pressed  
their foreheads together. "Right now. I don't know of anything that can come between us.  
Including Lucius Malfoy."  
  
Harry's hand freed itself and came up to touch his face. With a shaky voice, "Oh... good."  
  
Warm lips touched his and he greedily took them in. Their hips ground into each other creating  
waves of sensation. When Harry attacked his neck with sharp teeth, his knees buckled and they  
slowly sank to the ground.  
_________  
  
He escorted Draco into his study. While under normal situations, it would have been highly  
inappropriate, he did not want to have this conversation in his office and he figured why break the  
trend of highly inappropriate things now? After all, he was on a roll.  
  
He motioned for the young man to take a seat on the couch while he sat in the armchair. He  
winced as a jolt of pain went through his lower back. While idly thinking about whether he had  
the correct pain potion he made a mental note to never do anything that gymnastic on the floor  
again.  
  
Before he could speak, Draco did. "Is this about my father?"  
  
"Some. There are actually several things we need to discuss."  
  
Draco looked surprised and a bit wary. "Several?"  
  
"Several." He confirmed. "Since none of them are pleasant, I shall take them in chronological  
order." He looked at Draco for a moment, studying the serious, young face in front of him, before  
continuing. "In a few hours, right after lunch, I am getting married."  
  
He watched Draco stare at him for several seconds. A small snort, then a larger one. It was  
obvious that he was trying not to laugh.  
  
He sighed. "Don't fight it. You'll only make yourself look foolish."  
  
Draco resisted for a few more moments and then let loose a low snicker. "I'm sorry sir, but you  
make it sound like a fate worse than death."  
  
"Wait until you hear the entire story."  
_________  
  
Draco gave him a calculating stare before responding. "That's... that's very entertaining, sir."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm glad I can amuse you."  
  
"Sir," Draco said, sounding confused. "I'm not quite sure why you told me all of this."  
  
"I am in need of a witness and I find the irony in asking you appealing."  
  
Draco looked at him with a smirk. "I don't hate you either, sir."  
  
He sobered for a moment and formalized his request using the traditional phrasing, "Draco, will  
you stand by my side and Witness my binding to another?"  
  
With a solemn nod, Draco answered. "It would be an honor and a privilege to stand by you and  
yours."  
  
He wasn't surprised he knew the correct answer. "Thank you."  
  
Draco nodded. "Are you ok, sir?" The end of the sentence was interrupted by a large yawn.  
"Sorry."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Am I boring you?"  
  
"No sir, I just haven't been sleeping much."  
  
"Nightmares?" He enquired.  
  
Draco considered the question for a moment. "Those too."  
  
He sensed there was something else going on, but now was not the time to play verbal games.  
"Draco, there is also... the matter of your father."  
  
All the humor in Draco's face was gone. "My father."  
  
He sighed. "Yesterday morning, I received a letter-"  
  
"Please just tell me, sir." Draco interrupted.  
  
He gave up any attempt at tact. "He is alive. The man that you killed was under the influence of  
Polyjuice."  
  
"And the letter?" Draco prompted.  
  
"He wants to meet me."  
  
Draco nodded. "Should I assume you said yes?"  
  
Who was in charge of this conversation? "Yes."  
  
"It's a trap, you know." Draco said matter-of-factly.  
  
Dryly, "So I've been told." He paused. "I have received permission for you to be there."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Draco looked at him, "Where and when?"  
  
"Two days, here."  
  
"What!" Draco yelped.  
  
His sentiments exactly. "Believe me, it is not my idea. There will Aurors and several staff  
members. We should be fine." He tried to reassure him.  
  
"I'm not convinced." Draco looked away. "But I will be there."  
  
"I knew you would be. I will see you in the Headmaster's office after lunch."  
  
Draco got up and began to leave, but stopped and turned around, "Sir, if it looks like... if it looks  
like a trap, don't hesitate. I wouldn't. The man that you knew, that my mother married, wouldn't  
want to live like that."  
  
He nodded, understanding better than he thought possible.  
  
"And sir? Can I... Am I allowed to talk to someone about this?"  
  
"If you feel they can be trusted."  
  
Draco nodded and left.  
_________  
  
He knocked gently on Minerva's office door.  
  
"Come in!" She called from inside.  
  
He entered and waited for her to look up.  
  
She finished whatever she was writing and glanced in his direction. Pulling out the next sheet of  
paper, she continued to write. "Severus, to what do I owe the pleasure."  
  
Her majesty didn't deign to look at him.  
  
Might as well take the plunge. With a deep breath, "Will you stand by my side and Witness my  
binding to another?"  
  
The quill she was using broke and large splotch of ink stained the parchment. "What?"  
  
"It seems, I am to be married, this afternoon."  
  
She slowly put down the quill and gestured for him to take a seat. "Does young Mr. Potter have a  
say in this?"  
  
"Do I?" He winced. "And please... don't call him that."  
  
"Mr. Potter?"  
  
"Young."  
  
She looked over the rim of her glasses. "Ah, you do have a conscious."  
  
"Damnit! You're just as bad as Black! I did not do this on purpose! In fact, I did not do it at all!  
Have you spoken to Albus at all?" He was getting tired of explaining this.  
  
She nodded. "He informed me of some of the more... complex aspects of the spells, as well as the  
visit from our local Minister of Magic."  
  
"Then stop looking at me like that!"  
  
She raised an eyebrow and he felt, for all the world, like a student telling his teacher his wand ate  
his homework. "I just want to make sure that *young*" she emphasized the word, the old bat,  
"Mr. Potter is not... overwhelmed."  
  
Dryly. "I assure you, he has as much control of the situation as possible."  
  
"Severus." She looked at him seriously. "You had to want it?" She was clearly asking for some  
sort of explanation.  
  
He sighed. "Yes, that was part of the requirements of the spell."  
  
"He's a student, Severus."  
  
"Really?" He sneered, "I had no idea."  
  
"Severus," She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her desk, "tell me why I shouldn't demand  
that you be fired."  
  
"Because I haven't broken any rules!" He threw at her.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "You're talking semantics."  
  
"No I'm not!" He yelled.  
  
"How do I know!" She shot back.  
  
"Because I wouldn't have!" His chest was heaving. Oh god, what had he said?  
  
Quieter, almost unsure, she asked, "Severus?"  
  
He buried his face in his hands. "I wouldn't have." He whispered. "No matter how compelling, the  
temptation for comfort, for company," He looked up, almost pleading, "I would not. Have done.  
Anything."  
  
Minerva's eyes were wide. "Albus and Ms. Granger were right. You had to want something, but  
it wasn't necessarily sex was it?"  
  
He was slumped in the chair. "God help me, no."  
  
"Severus..."  
  
"Will you stand by my side and Witness my binding to another?" He asked again, before she could  
say anything else.  
  
Minerva walked out from behind her desk and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. The itch  
increased. In a low, comforting voice, she answered him. "It would be an honor and a privilege to  
stand by you and yours."  
  
He gave her a sharp nod, got up and left.  
  
Part 35  
  
Harry eventually made it back to his common room. Limping. And a bit sore.  
  
Parvati was lounging in front of the fire reading some sort of book, she glanced at him when he  
entered and blinked at him owlishly, but wisely said nothing and went back to reading.  
  
"Have you seen Ron or Hermione?"  
  
Without looking up, "Upstairs I think. Her room." She gestured vaguely in the direction of the  
stairs.  
  
Made sense. She was a prefect. Why not take advantage?  
  
He knocked on the solitary door and waited patiently for an answer. He once again pondered the  
pluses and minuses of prefects. Yeah you got your own rooms and a wicked bathroom, but he had  
already had a great deal of responsibility thrust, oh not a good word, onto him in his life that he  
couldn't imagine voluntarily taking on more.  
  
He noticed that it was taking a bit longer than usual for Hermione to answer. He knocked again,  
slightly louder.  
  
Another minute went by and the door slowly opened. A bleary eyed, robe clad Hermione  
answered. "Harry, what time is it?"  
  
"Around nine."  
  
"Oh." She just stood there in the doorway, staring at him.  
  
"Is Ron there? I need to talk to both of you." As he asked the question he realized his mistake.  
She had obviously just come from bed.  
  
She blinked at him for a few moments and then slowly nodded. She stepped aside and allowed  
him to enter. "Wait here."  
  
He suddenly had the urge to tell her to forget it, he'd come back later. Except that there really  
wasn't much later to fall back on. He reasoned that they had to go to breakfast at some point.  
  
That thought had sufficiently satisfied him until he saw Ron appear in the bedroom doorway  
followed closely by... a... blond... head...  
  
Draco.  
  
It was too early in the morning for this.  
  
Clear blue eyes looked at him. "Potter."  
  
"Malfoy." He acknowledged  
  
Ron looked about, a bit confused. "Harry? Why're you here?"  
  
"I need to talk to you two." He answered and still looking at Draco. "And I imagine that Snape'll  
be looking for you soon."  
  
Draco paused at this. "Looking for me?"  
  
Harry noted that he wasn't questioned on his information. Though sharp eyes did look at him with  
unsaid knowledge.  
  
Yes. Draco had definitely changed. How much was still waiting to be seen.  
  
"I should go back and get dressed anyway. I'll see you two later."  
  
He watched Draco make an aborted hand movement to both of his friends. The thin should tensed  
and then shrugged. Fingers deliberately brushed against the back of hands and silent nods were  
given.  
  
Harry suddenly felt like an intruder. He used to be able to do that.   
  
Not shag them senseless. Talk with their eyes.  
  
Closing the door behind Draco, they turned to him and silently asked what he wanted.  
  
Ok. Maybe he still could. But it wasn't the same. How many things had he missed about himself  
and Ron and Hermione?  
  
He felt like an utter prat.  
  
"Stop berating yourself Harry, you're still my best friend." Hermione spoke up.  
  
He was suddenly elated that she had practically read his mind. First time for that in weeks.  
  
He noted it wasn't half as annoying as when Dumbledore did it.  
  
She continued. "Sex doesn't have to define every relationship. We're all... in flux at the moment.  
The whole school is really. We promise not forget you're alive as long as you promise to do the  
same for us."  
  
He nodded and felt a better. Until he realized she'd mentioned sex. That meant... things he wasn't  
going to think about. Too many things were threatening to make his head explode as it was.  
Which reminded him, "I need to ask you guys a question."  
  
Ron spoke up. "Go on Harry, I'm sure Hermione, 'I'm as blunt as a bludger', Granger will tell  
you if its too personal." He gave his... girlfriend? Lover? Shagbunny? A goofy grin.  
  
Hermione smacked Ron on the shoulder. "Ask whatever you want, Harry."  
  
"Well, I told you, yesterday, that I'm... we're getting married, right?"  
  
They both nodded slowly, is seemed he wasn't the only one having a hard time swallowing... oh  
god... it.  
  
With a gulp, he plowed on. "Well, the Headmaster has managed to arrange everything for today,  
after lunch, to be exact, there are just a few minor details that need to be ironed out."  
  
"Like what?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I need my Witnesses."  
  
Ron looked at him seriously. "Are you asking us?"  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
Ron, once again, smiled widely. "I always pictured being asked formally the first time, but then I  
never imagined being asked while I was still at Hogwarts."  
  
"Formally asked?"  
  
Hermione must have sensed the void of knowledge because she instantly shifted into lecture  
mode. "The marriage ceremony is one of the oldest in the wizarding world. It predates almost all  
of the more complex spells and charms that modern wizards use by hundreds of years. Its also  
unique because it invokes formal phrases that have nothing to do with spells or charms."  
  
"Formal phrases?"  
  
She nodded. "For example, asking your Witnesses to stand with you. There's a traditional saying  
that's used."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
She thought about it for a moment and then carefully said the phrase.  
  
He nodded and said it back to them, "Will you stand by my side and Witness my binding to  
another?"  
  
"It would be an honor and a privilege to stand by you and yours." Hermione and Ron both  
answered.   
  
At the same time.  
  
God it was getting worse.  
  
"Thank you." Was all he could get out. He was suddenly choked.  
  
He was getting married.  
  
He had been ORDERED to get married.  
  
By the Minister of Magic.  
  
His life was getting more absurd by the minute.  
_________  
  
Severus Snape stalked up to the entrance to the Headmaster's office and ground out the  
password, once again going over exactly how far out of control this was.  
  
He was getting married.  
  
To Harry 'I'm a walking target' Potter.  
  
Godson of the bloody Sirius Black.  
  
Thorn in his side.  
  
Best lay he'd had in years.  
  
He stopped and blinked.  
  
He really wished his mind would stop coughing up little doozies like that one.  
  
"Ah, Severus, please come in. Minerva and Draco are already here. We're just awaiting on the  
other Bridegroom and his party."  
  
He leveled a glare at Albus that would have made Longbottom pee in his pants. Of course the old  
coot did nothing but sit there and smile at him.  
  
Infuriating. Insufferable. Old. Man.  
  
He took a seat in the corner of the room and glowered, wishing he'd cursed him when he had the  
chance. Knowing the Headmaster, he would have enjoyed the more sedate ones.   
  
/Oh Severus, I really did enjoy the wiggling underwear./  
  
He settled for another glare.   
  
They sat, waiting with palpable tension in the air.  
  
His thoughts had just gotten to the point where he was weighing the pros and cons of running  
away when Harry and company made an appearance.  
  
Harry looked at the people in the room sheepishly, "Sorry, we lost track of time."  
  
Albus just smiled and waved them in. "That's all right Harry. You're here, that's all that matters."  
  
Yes. Harry was here. Lets do get on with taking all control of his life out of his hands.  
  
Albus stood up and walked to the front of his desk. "Severus, Harry, if you'll stand in front of  
me."  
  
They didn't move.  
  
"Gentlemen." Albus gently pushed.  
  
He braced shaking hands on the arms of the chair, stood up and slowly took his place. Harry soon  
appeared next to him.  
  
Albus nodded, "Minerva, Hermione, on either side of me please, Draco, Ron, behind Severus and  
Harry."  
  
Places were taken and the urge to run increased.  
  
Albus turned worried eyes on them. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to take the rings off,  
its part of the ceremony and its tied into the signing of the parchment. I'm sorry."  
  
The rings off?  
  
It was becoming readily apparent that they could barely control themselves with the rings *on*.  
  
He cast a look at Harry and gave a tight nod. Together they slipped off the rings.  
  
As the cool metal left his finger and wave of pure longing swept through him and he gasped. He  
was distantly aware of a similar sound coming from Harry. His knees where threatening to buckle.  
Strong hands latched onto him. Warmth seeped into his robes where they made contact. He  
looked up and there was delicious soft skin staring back at him.  
  
Those green eyes were haunting him. Beseeching him silently to stop the ache. He took those  
grasping hands into his own and tugged Harry closer and until the full length of the younger  
man's body was felt against his own.  
  
Finally some relief.  
  
Without looking away from those eyes he spoke, "Albus. Start. Now." Or god knew what would  
happen.  
  
A crinkle of parchment told him that Albus had picked up the scroll. In a slow careful voice, the  
Headmaster began. "We are here to Witness the binding of two people in a form more ancient  
than time. Severus Lucius Snape and Harry James Potter are here to join their lives together.  
*Bindus*." The last word had an echoing, enchanted quality that old magic tended have when  
wielded by an especially powerful wizard.  
  
The parchment transfigured itself into a length of satin chord.  
  
"Right hands, gentlemen." Albus gently reminded them.  
  
Slowly, they manipulated their hands so that only the right ones were clasped between them,  
palms together, fingers entwined and facing up.  
  
Albus slipped the chord between their hand and carefully wrapped it in the pattern that would be  
familiar to any wizard that had attended a similar ceremony. It only took a few seconds to fully  
bind them down to the elbows.  
  
The two ends were tied to together and Albus began again. "The ring, a reminder and symbol  
serves to finish this joining.  
  
A ring was pressed into his left hand. He slowly lifted it and said, "Will you wear my reminder and  
symbol to finish this joining?"  
  
Green eyes looked deep into his before a hand came into view. "Yes." Harry rasped. "I will wear  
it."   
  
He slipped the ring onto Harry's finger.  
  
Albus turned to Harry and handed him the other ring.  
  
Harry lifted it and asked, ""Will you wear my reminder and symbol to finish this joining?"  
  
He swallowed, emotion thick in his throat. ""Yes." He whispered. "I will wear it."  
  
The ring was once again slid onto his finger. He still couldn't tear his eyes away.  
  
Albus's deep, intoning voice once again spoke up, "Is there a witness to this binding?"  
  
Minerva stepped forward and placed her hand on their bound ones. "I am here to witness Severus  
Lucius Snape and his binding to his other." She stepped back.  
  
Draco was next, "I am here to witness Severus Lucius Snape and his binding to his other." He had  
stumbled slightly on the middle name, but looked deeply honored to be included.  
  
Once Draco's hand had been removed, Ron stepped forward, "I am here to witness Harry James  
Potter and his binding to his other." Before stepping back gave them both a short, supportive nod.  
  
Next, Hermione. ""I am here to witness Harry James Potter and his binding to his other." She  
gave them a warm smile.  
  
Finally Albus stepped forward and placed both of his hands on theirs. "You have chosen your  
others and bound yourselves to them, even without these bindings," Albus tugged on the satin  
chords sharply and flash of power went through him, "you are bound." The cord had come away,  
unraveled from its complex weaving without having been unwound. Before their eyes it  
transfigured back into the specialized parchment.  
  
The only difference was that the names of everyone in the room were now on it, in the  
appropriate places.  
  
He looked down at their still clasped hands in wonder. God, he was married.  
  
He gave a sharp pull and Harry was in his arms. Warm tingling was once again invading his entire  
body.  
  
Harry gave a muted gasp and tangled his left hand in his hair.  
  
He mirrored the action.  
  
Soft lips called to him, parted sweetly and beckoned him in. He leaned in tasted them.  
  
Oh it was sweet.  
  
They slowly broke apart.  
  
"Severus, thank you for your restraint." Albus had a disgustingly cheerful manner of breaking the  
mood.  
  
"Shut up, Albus." He put a little more space between them, but their hands refuse to let go.  
  
A voice from behind him muttered, "This is so strange."  
  
He turned to Ron, "Strange?"  
  
"You're married to Harry Potter." Came a chorus of voices. Draco, Ron and Hermione had all  
answered at once.  
  
Harry snickered and muttered something he didn't hear.  
  
"What?" He questioned  
  
Harry cleared his throat and repeated it again, with more volume. "Gotta be the sex." 


	3. 36

Disclaimers etc... See part 1  
  
Author's note: Ok... Yes this is short... but hey, there's plot! Wahoo!! I seem to have discovered  
two of the most boring classes ever. You know the kinda... required attendance... but not  
attention as long as you have an IQ higher than that of a garden plant? Well I've decided to write  
fic during those classes... keeps me awake. So I thought I'd post this to let you know that I'm still  
alive and I very much WANT to finish this... my time is just being eaten up. Being a theater major  
can do that to a person.  
  
Author's note #2: Regarding feedback. I have often been fast and loose with my words and it has  
been several chapters since I've actually been specific about it. This is my thing. I definitely enjoy  
getting the one liners about how much you like my story. It makes me all warm and fuzzy. My  
favorite type of feedback? The kind where you tell me lines that struck you, or things that made  
you laugh.. Or cry. Intense reactions. Why? Because, as someone who wants to do this  
professionally I like to see how well I'm judging my audience.  
  
Please. No grammar or punctuation quips. I already have someone oiling up the whip for that. :) I  
just can't seem to catch them all no matter how many times I read the darned thing. *siigh*  
  
Also. I feel absolutely horrible that I haven't gotten back to more of you about your feedback to  
me. God I want to thank EVERYONE who has ever replied. You guys are the best. Thank you  
thank you thank you! I'm going to attempt to get some more replies done this weekend. Before  
the productions really get going and more of my free time gets eaten. I thank all of you for your  
patience.  
  
Part 36  
  
Snape looked at Harry incredulously. "They're having sex?"  
  
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose high enough to dislodge the hat sitting comfortably on his head.  
"Severus?"  
  
Ron made a choking, wheezing sort of gasp, Hermione blushed beat red and Draco simply sighed  
and said, "I don't know how you did it Potter, but I know that it was your fault."  
  
Harry's eyebrows shot up past his hairline as well. "How I did what?"  
  
Draco threw an accusing look in his direction. "Just because you like to be open and honest about  
your sexual adventures doesn't mean that the rest of us are keen on airing our dirty laundry out  
for the entire staff to hear."  
  
Another choking sound from Ron, "Dirty laundry?" He asked with an irate yelp.  
  
Hermione seemed to recover from her initial surprise and smacked the red head in the arm, "Hush  
Ron, be indignant later and you," she turned to Draco, "calm down. There's no need to add insult  
to injury just because you're uncomfortable."  
  
The blonde straightened his shoulders. "I don't insult people because I'm uncomfortable, I do it  
because I'm good at it." He announced proudly.  
  
"No," Hermione shot back, "you insult people when you're uncomfortable BECAUSE you're  
good at it-"  
  
Before the young Slytherin could respond Harry interrupted with a nod of his head. "Just like  
him." The nod was in Snape's general direction. He suddenly found himself facing four sets of  
wide eyes, one amused headmaster and one glaring husband.  
  
Husband.  
  
The itching under his skin gave way to the roaring of his ears. Black spots danced before his eyes  
and his knees threatened to give way. Then a warm hand settled on his cheek.  
  
"Harry." A low voice rumbled through him. "Take a deep breath. Don't faint here. My back can't  
take carrying you all the way back to my chambers."  
  
He learned into the hand and wrapped his arms around the body attached to it. "Nice to know you  
cared."  
  
"Hold on." Draco interrupted the moment, "I still want to know why the professor said what he  
said."  
  
An exasperated sigh left Snape's lips. "I was merely repeating what Mr. Potter said, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"Said?" Hermione asked.  
  
"He didn't say anything." Draco confirmed.  
  
Harry watched Snape's eyes widen in realization and then close in resignation.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
Snape shook his head silently and touched their foreheads together for a moment before replying.  
"My life is careening out of control at an alarming pace."  
  
"What?" He asked again.  
  
"Your verbal skills astound me as always. Attempt to tell me something, without speaking."  
  
Harry fixed his eyes on Snape's and THOUGHT at him  
  
/I think I could love you/  
  
The black eyes widened again. The message was obviously received. "That was the most  
singularly ridiculous thing I have ever had the displeasure of not hearing."  
  
Hermione who had obviously been following the conversation, spoke up, "I take it this a new  
development."  
  
Draco spoke up before either of them could answer. "I thought that would have been obvious."  
  
"Draco," Hermione chastised, "keep your snark to yourself or you're sleeping alone tonight."  
  
"Hermione!" Ron's third indignant yelp for the day.  
  
"Oh hush, its not like it's a secret anymore."  
  
"Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said, "it's a bit late to be a prude."  
  
Ron sputtered. "I'm not a prude," he began, arms waving, "its just that you're - you're teachers."  
  
"And the moment we begin to work here as professors we lose all of our previous knowledge  
regarding sex?" Snape obviously took great pleasure in making Ron flinch at his choice of words.  
  
"But you always stalk the hallways ruining everyone's fun." Ron argued.  
  
"But we don't actually enter the dormitories do we?" Snape continued on.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Oh." Hermione gasped. "They don't care what we're doing, as long we're not stupid enough to  
get caught."  
  
"I wouldn't go so far as to say we don't care," Dumbledore explained, "but in most cases, yes, we  
overlook youthful indiscretions. But do not, for a moment think we don't know what's going on."  
  
"But then why..."  
  
"Did you manage to finally surprise your headmaster?" Dumbledore finished the question for Ron.  
  
The red head nodded silently.  
  
"There was no malice." Dumbledore explained. "Malice would have brought it to our attention  
immediately"  
  
"Oh." Harry thought it was nice to see that he wasn't the only one suffering from vocabulary  
deficiency.  
  
"Now I trust you three won't share that information" McGonagall chided.  
  
Draco let out a slick smile. "As long as you don't mind if you use it to our advantage."  
  
"I expected no less." Snape said. "It always amazes me how many students don't think to go to  
their hiding places before curfew... at least that way if they get caught it will be worth it."  
  
As the conversation had gone on, Harry had become increasingly aware of the long lean body that  
was supporting him. Sending a low warmth through him. The heartbeat next to his and the gentle  
movement of a chest as it took in air and expelled it again. "Um sir?"  
  
"Yes Mr. Potter?"  
  
"I think we should go."  
  
Eyes locked with his and studied him for a moment, then he nodded. "Yes. Albus I believe we will  
use your floo."  
  
"Of course my boy. I will checking on both of you in a few hours and Severus," The headmaster  
shot Snape a meaningful look, "I shall attempt to curb my horrible manners.  
  
Harry was sure that the last sentence was some sort of jibe aimed at Snape. One look at the glare  
that was being sent in the Headmaster's direction was all the confirmation he needed. A moment  
later Snape spoke again, "Come along, there's no point in prolonging this."  
  
They stepped up to the flames and with a flare that only Snape had, white powder was flung in the  
general direction of the hearth and a low mumble was heard,"Professor Snape's study" were the  
words he heard leave Snape's mouth and then a sharp tug as he was pulled into the fire.  
  
* * *  
  
Albus Dumbledore surveyed the room before him. The remnants of the most unusual wedding  
were strewn about like litter, each person looking a bit more battered than the last.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Now children. Go and enjoy the rest of your vacation. You've earned it.  
Draco. I believe we have an appointment the day after tomorrow. Is that still good for you?"  
  
The young man threw him a significant look and then nodded solemnly.  
  
"Go then and rest up."  
  
After the students left, he turned to Minerva. "You seem to be taking this better than yesterday."  
  
She considered his statement carefully. "Yesterday I had not had a very important conversation."  
  
"Ah. And what did Severus have to say?"  
  
"It's not so much what he said, though that helped, but what he didn't say that convinced me."  
  
Leaning forward a bit. "And what didn't he say?"  
  
An exasperated sigh. "Albus you know the answer to that as well as I do"  
  
He added a bit of mischief to his expression. "Humor me."  
  
She smiled just a bit. "I've been doing that my entire life, why should I stop now?"  
  
"Well?" He pressed on. Not giving an inch.  
  
She just shook her head in amusement. "He didn't tell me to shut up. He just let me berate him  
into slipping up."  
  
"I see what you mean. Hardly our Severus at all."  
  
Minerva looked at him again and in an exasperated voice she continued. "Its no use talking to you  
when you're in this mood."  
  
"What mood is that?" Innocent as ever.  
  
"Insufferably proud of yourself."  
  
"But you love me anyway." He quipped letting a slightly more serious tone through.  
  
She dismissed it with a wave of her hand, as if it were some unimportant fact."I blame that on the  
irrational women in me." Her face was softening, letting some more warmth through.  
  
"Minerva you are anything but irrational."  
  
She stood up, walked around the desk and placed a quick but meaningful kiss on his lips. "As if  
you're one to judge."  
  
He chose to give her an enigmatic smile in response.  
  
Minvera headed towards the door. "I have some work to finish. I still haven't given the ministry  
the VERY detailed report that they're demanding."  
  
"Don't have too much fun." He called after her.  
  
"It will be an effort, but I'll try."  
  
"I'll see you tonight."  
  
She simply nodded and left.  
  
Albus took a few moments to enjoy the silence in the room before turning to the far corner of his  
office. He lifted his wand and carefully undid the obscurus spell to reveal a silent unmoving Sirius  
Black.  
  
He leaned forward, taking a serious tone. "I'm going to remove the charm on your mouth my boy  
and then we are going to have a nice little chat."  
  
TBC... Um... as I asked above.. Please feed the author. Thank you. 


	4. 37

Disclaimers Etc... see part 1  
  
Author's note: Another small update. But seeing as how I get very busy starting tomorrow, I  
didn't want to leave off in the middle of a thought. Takes forever to get back on track.  
  
I'll have time to write during the boring classes as usual, but I probably won't be able to post until  
next weekend. Sorry folks. But I'm glad that everyone's enjoying it.  
  
I think by now, I've made myself clear on my feelings of feedback. :)  
  
Part 37  
  
Albus Dumbledore studied the tense, frustrated man in front of him for a moment before once  
again waving his wand and 'ungagging' his mouth.  
  
"Albus! What in the hell was the meaning of that?!?!"  
  
"One day, Sirius, I hope you find yourself in a place where you do no allow your emotions to rule  
your reactions and you can appreciate what I've done for you."  
  
Sirius looked at him like he'd just announced that he and Voldemort were going steady. "And  
what have you done for me?"  
  
"Forgetting all other circumstances, you just watched your godson get married. Trust me when I  
say, in the long run, you will be much happier for it."  
  
"I don't see how I could be happy at all."  
  
He sighed. This was going to be harder than he had originally planned. "Sirius. You just watched  
a momentous event in Harry's life. One, that you should have had some part in."  
  
"There is no way that I could ever support something as... wrong... as what I just witnessed."  
  
He closed his eyes momentarily, contemplating how best to go about smacking some sense into  
the man sitting across from him. "Sirius, have you listened to a word that's been said?"  
  
"Of course I have Albus!"  
  
He smacked his hand down on his desk, eyes blazing, "Then why the hell have you been acting  
like a 4 year old whose lollipop was stolen!"  
  
"Albus?" Sirius looked confused.  
  
"Do you have any idea what you're doing to him! You're making him the enemy! Your irrational  
inability to see past the *past* is making this situation harder on him that it already is!"  
  
"I just can't accept-"  
  
"It doesn't matter what you accept Sirius. What is, is. Do you honestly think that I would allow  
something to go on if it were hurting him? I'm old. Not senile, nor am I fool."  
  
"I... I..."  
  
"If you want to blame someone. Blame me. I'm the one that steered them in this direction without  
telling them. I'm the one who took a chance with the spell. I'm the one who seized upon an  
opportunity."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we are fighting a war. A war, that unless we are willing to make sacrifices, we *will*  
lose."  
  
Sirius looked ready to pick up his argument again, but he cut him off.  
  
"I did not force this. I merely gave it the opportunity to flourish. You underestimate me, You  
underestimate Harry and you underestimate Severus."  
  
"I don't understand." Sirius said.  
  
"Then you really haven't been listening, this could not have happened, without BOTH of their  
consents, whether it was conscious or subconscious is irrelevant, Harry is NOT in a situation that  
he doesn't want to be in."  
  
"That doesn't mean that I trust Snape. That still doesn't reassure me that he won't take advantage  
of the situation."  
  
He stood up and circled around his desk and kneeled down in front of Sirius, who was still under  
the influence of a binding spell. "My dear boy, how do you know you can trust me?"  
  
Sirius' eyes widened. "I... I just do."  
  
"Why? I've already proven exactly how manipulative and conniving I can be. That I'm willing to  
go behind people's backs and bend the rules to get my way."  
  
Sirius was starting to look worried. "Because you've never... you've never hurt me..."  
  
He smiled. "How do you know that?"  
  
"I... I just do."  
  
"So sure are you?" He took his wand out once more and waved it lazily in front of Sirius.  
For the first time, Sirius looked at him with something akin to fear. He did not relish doing this,  
but the problems with Gryffindors was that sometimes they needed reality shoved in their faces,  
no matter how ugly it was. He pointed the wand in the direction of the portrait hanging over the  
fireplace. A mumbled phrase and it began to change, instead of Hogwarts last headmaster, it now  
showed a younger, version of its current headmaster. "That's a portrait that was painted in my  
seventh year. Tell me Sirius, is it everything you expected?"  
  
The younger man turned his head and examined the painting. "Its you. In your school uniform... I  
always pictured you as a brunette though... But the red suits you. Uniforms different too. Older  
looking. That never occurred to me... I mean the house badge is complet..." Sirius faded off.  
  
"Go on. What do you see?" He prompted.  
  
Sirius looked choked up. He obviously couldn't speak for a few moments. Finally he answered. "I  
see... Slytherin."  
  
* * *  
  
Ron, Hermione and Draco walked slowly down the steps that led to away from the headmaster's  
office.  
  
Without looking up, Draco said, "My place."  
  
"Why your place?" Ron asked.  
  
"Because it's the only one you don't have to go through a common room to get to. Unless you  
want me to follow you past an entire room of Gryffindors with big mouths?"  
  
"Oh." Ron answered. "Right. OK then."  
  
"Why are we going to your room?" Hermione interjected.  
  
"Because I want to talk to you about something." Was the only reply he gave.  
  
They walked silently down into the bowls of the castle. Draco obviously knew a back route, one  
that was well out of the way of often traveled paths. Hermione idly wondered how often he made  
use of it.  
  
Once they were inside Draco's room, they sprawled comfortably on the sofa. Two Gryffindor  
bookends surrounding one complex Slytherin book. Though, this time, they were all leaning on  
one another.  
  
After a few minuted of silence, Ron spoke up. "I thought we were supposed to be talking."  
  
Draco threw a scathing glare in the red head's direction, "Not everyone finds spitting out intimate  
details of their personal life as easy as you do."  
  
She spoke up, "You're doing it again."  
  
Thin shoulders shrugged. "Well its my prerogative. Deal with it."  
  
Hermione laid a gentle hand on his arm. "What's making you so upset?"  
  
Draco didn't look at either of. Instead he studied his hands. "My father's not dead."  
  
"What?" Ron asked, surprised. He leaned forward and touched a shoulder.  
  
Draco continued. "Professor Snape confirmed it. The man that I... killed... was not Lucius."  
  
"Who was it?" Ron inquired lightly massaging the shoulder.  
  
He shrugged it off. "Another death eater."  
  
Hermione studied him for a moment and asked, "What else?" She allowed her hand to slide up  
and tangle with the fine blonde hair.  
  
"He wrote a letter to Professor Snape. He wanted to talk to him. Offer explanations."  
  
"Explanations for what?" Hermione pressed.  
  
With a small snort, Draco answered. "Why he's been such an ass all these years."  
  
"Ah." Was all Ron could think of to say.  
  
"Dumbledore is letting him onto school grounds." Draco finally finished.  
  
"He's nutters." Ron commented.  
  
He snorted again. "For once, we agree."  
  
"When is it happening?" She asked.  
  
"Day after tomorrow." He answered.  
  
She moved forward and wrapped her arms around Draco, "You've asked to be there, haven't  
you." Hermione stated, not needed to actually ask. He wouldn't have it any other way.  
  
"I can't *not* be there." Draco confirmed.  
  
Ron turned the pale face towards him and said, "We know." and drew him down for a kiss.  
  
Hermione watched them kiss. It was a slow languid kiss. The kind that tried to express whole  
paragraphs in between slick movements of swollen lips. She molded herself to the back of Draco  
and began to nuzzle his neck.  
  
When Ron finally released Draco they were both panting for air. She renewed her attach on his  
neck, the blond closed his eyes and let out a small moan of appreciation.  
  
Ron's voice was husky and low, "Let's say we try this in a bed this time."  
  
Draco tensed up for a moment. "This isn't a pity fuck."  
  
Hermione tightened her arms, "It will never be a pity fuck."  
  
She felt Ron's arms wrap around both of them, "Because Draco Malfoy does not do pity fucks,  
right Draco?"  
  
"Right." Came the small voice from between both of them. Then stronger, "what are we waiting  
for, the you know where the bed is."  
  
The three of them untangled themselves and made their way to the bedroom, just before the door  
closed, Hermione said, "I respect you too much for this to ever be pity."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
TBC...  
  
I don't feel qualified to take that any further whilst I'm high on cold meds. :) 


	5. 38

Disclaimers etc... See part 1  
  
Author's note: Ok... Apparently you have all been waiting for this... Have no idea why...  
*innocent smile*  
  
Ok. There is plot. I swear. Really. There is. Just look reeeeal hard.  
  
On another side. Rehearsals are REALLY kicking into gear now so I don't know when the next  
bit will be out.  
  
Thanks to everyone who helped, ESPECIALLY Diana. I suck at sex scenes. They're not natural  
for me. So occasionally I need encouragement.   
  
On with the show.  
  
Part 38  
  
They literally fell into the room and into each other. The younger of the two let out a gasp of  
surprise and pleasure as friction was added to his already precarious situation. Harry lowered his  
head onto Snape's shoulder panting. They stayed on the floor for a few moments, hips slowly  
undulating.  
  
"Please move." Snape ordered.  
  
"I was trying not to, actually."Harry looked up and into his eyes, "After all that fuss you made last  
time about the floor and your poor, old decrepit back."  
  
Old. Of course Harry had to mention old. "Get off of me, Mr. Potter."  
  
After a few moments of apparent debate with his own body, Harry rolled over and lay on the floor  
taking deep breaths. "I supposed you want to have a conversation about what happened earlier."  
  
He ran a hand over his face and through hair, before pushing himself up to lean on his elbows.  
"No. I really don't"  
  
Harry gave him a puzzled look. "You don't?"  
  
He gave a tired sigh. "Aside from the fact that I want to all together forget that you have that sort  
of access to my mind, its not such a wild leap of logic to think that whatever is happening to us is  
about to change at least one more time."  
  
Snape watched Harry's lips form a small circle. "Oh."  
  
He noted that he was beginning an unhealthy obsession with Harry's lips. "If I'm going to be  
forced to be stuck in your presence for an undetermined amount of time we are going to have to  
do something about your vocabulary."  
  
In as close to a sarcastic voice as Harry could manage, which was becoming threateningly close to  
what Snape could accomplish. "I didn't know you cared."  
  
"I don't." He corrected. "Its an act of self preservation."  
  
"Oh." Harry had an obnoxious smile plastered on his face.  
  
"Oh, for gods sake, wipe that grotesque thing of your face."  
  
"Make me." Harry challenged.  
  
"Mr. Potter, " he began with a glimmer in his eye, "take your off you clothes." The smile  
disappeared from Harry's face so quickly he almost had whiplash. Snape quirked an eyebrow,  
"Really, Mr. Potter, that was hardly any effort at all" he let his fingertips trail down Harry's face,  
"you gave me the impression that I might have a bit of a fight on my hands."  
  
Harry's eyes glazed over a bit at the contact. He licked his lips and whispered, "Sorry."  
  
Snape was transfixed on those moistened lips "Finally," he murmured. "An apology."  
  
Snape felt the pull tighten, there was an anticipation tugging at him and his body ached for some  
sort of completion. He felt broken, torn, the itching had reached a fever pitch and it was over  
taking his senses. As if now that there were no longer an practical impediments, the spell knew,  
and it begged for the servants under its thrall to do something.  
  
Snape's voice had dropped to a husky tone, "Come on, before we really can't hold out any  
longer." He stood up and offered a hand to the young man. As the appendages slid together  
something unclenched, it was as if it KNEW that they were so very close to satisfying its original  
intent, its purpose.  
  
They entered his bedroom and turned to face each other.  
  
Harry looked up at him and said, "I would like to state, for the record, that this is weird."  
  
"You have a talent for understatement that would amaze even the most simple creature"  
  
They swayed towards each other. Like magnets drawn to polar opposites. Finally they both gave  
up their battles and swept forward. Lips met in a desperate act to join. Hot, wet kisses was all that  
he knew for an undetermined time. When he came back to his senses, he found his hands had  
wound around Harry's hair, clutched desperately at it.  
  
There were low, keening sounds echoing throughout the room. Who they were from Snape had  
no idea. He didn't have anything left in him to feel ashamed at the loss of control. He was one  
large mass of need.  
  
Harry's hands found their way under his robes. When had they been unbuttoned? The question  
quickly fled his mind as Harry attached a hot mouth to his nipple.  
  
The rough skin of that questing tongue nearly made his eyes roll back in his head. It was going  
too far too fast. He gently pried Harry's head away from his chest and spent several moments just  
running his thumbs in circles over the soft skin.  
  
Harry's mouth formed a small circle as he let out small puffs of air.  
  
"Slow, or it will consume us both."  
  
Harry nodded blindly. "Right, slow."  
  
They leaned in to kiss again.  
  
Time ceased to exist once more. This time when awareness came back Harry's arms were  
wrapped around his neck and he had pulled the younger man's body flush with his.  
  
They leaned foreheads together, letting out panting breaths. "Going slow may be harder that I first  
thought." Snape rasped.  
  
"Uh huh." Harry was busy wrapping himself tighter and closer around Snape.  
  
They took comfort in each other for a few moments.  
  
"Slow." He repeated as he began to slowly remove Harry's robes to reveal his jeans and t-shirt  
underneath. "You muggles and your clever clothes."  
  
Harry blushed, "S'not like I have much of a choice."  
  
He proceeded to remove Harry's t-shirt. "You can't buy your own clothes?" He began to softly  
trace indistinct patterns on Harry's chest.  
  
"My muggle," Harry's breath hitched in his chest, "my muggle relatives would never, oh," he  
closed his eyes and lost his place as tough fingers found sensitive spots on his chest, "Um, they  
would never spend any of their, ah" he lost himself when Snape leaned in and began feasting on a  
the side of his neck..  
  
"Go on." Snape prompted.  
  
"They w-wouldn't spend any of their precious m-money on a f-freak like me." He finally managed  
to get out.  
  
Sliding his hands slowly around Harry's body, a more intimate version of the hugs they had been  
sharing all week. Hands instinctively found the small of his back. "It never occurred to you to use  
your own money to buy clothing during the school year." He pulled back slightly and looked into  
green eyes, something he had been avoiding because of the intensity to which they affected him.  
Harry's eyes were wide. He was surprised. "You mean it *never* occurred to you?"  
  
Harry shook his head.  
  
"Gryffindors." He responded lightly stroking a cheek.  
  
They crushed themselves against each other. When had this become so natural? When had he  
resigned himself to this? He was married.  
  
Oh god, he hadn't even dealt with that and here he was, on his wedding night.  
  
His wedding night. What a ridiculous notion.  
  
There were moments in his life that he had envisioned, imagined, orchestrated and even practiced,  
to make sure he could live them to their fullest. This was one scene that had died very soon after  
it was born. Before he had even left Hogwarts. This one along wit the sham he had helped  
perpetuate earlier. Were not even remote fantasies.  
  
But here he was, in bed.  
  
In bed?  
  
When had they gotten there?  
  
It was getting away from him again.  
  
He was draped all over Harry, a leg wedged between two finely toned ones. Back to those  
drugging kisses that made him tingle down to his toes. Their hips were slowly rocking back and  
forth. He pressed closer, wanting to feel the other body next to his sensitized skin, wanting the  
friction to send those delicious tendrils of pleasure shooting through him.  
  
Somehow their pants had been removed. How, he didn't know, maybe wishful magic, maybe they  
had done it and he simply did not remember.  
  
He moved his hands away from the muscled he was massaging and the leg he was clutching  
desperately.  
  
Bracing his hands on either side of Harry's head, he removed his lips, braving another look into  
those eyes. "We should make a decision before..." he gasped, their hips had not stopped moving  
and they were sending little spark of shooting through him, "...before we get to the point where  
we can't anymore."  
  
Panting. "Decisions?"  
  
He nodded, "Decisions."  
  
"Professor the-"  
  
He shivered. "Don't call me that," he snapped. Then calmer. "I think considering all of the  
circumstances you can call me Severus. All in all, it would make me feel like less of a dirty old  
man."  
  
Harry looked poleaxe. "Not old and you know, that never occurred to me."  
  
"Now that I think about it, I'm rather surprised it hasn't come up before."  
  
"I think I've been pretty distracted."  
  
"Hmm. Yes. Speaking of distractions..." He paused and reached into his side table to take out a  
small bottle, "Here." He said, as he handed it to Harry.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" He gave Harry a significant look.  
  
"Oh!" Harry's eyes went wide. "You mean, you're... that is I..."  
  
"What seems to be the problem?"  
  
"I just didn't expect you to... to..."  
  
"To what Mr. Potter?"  
  
"You know. I could do without the extra kinkiness that's added by your using my surname while  
we're half naked in bed."  
  
The decision to hand Harry the bottle had actually been made as soon as he realized exactly how  
little control he had. It disgusted him that part of his decision was based on the fact that the yong  
man he had been molesting regularly was incredibly inexperienced and no one deserved to be at  
the mercy of a man that out of control, let alone a virgin.  
  
There wasn't enough water in the world that would make him clean again.  
  
"Stop that." Harry's voice cut into his thoughts.  
  
"Stop what?" He asked.  
  
"Looking at me like you're about to defiling a holy relic."  
  
"Some people might interpret it that way."  
  
Shove. "Besides, if I caught your meaning I'm the one about to do the defiling."  
  
Someone had certainly regained his equilibrium fast.  
  
Annoying twit.  
  
"Yes, speaking of the - please get on with it." He laid back there was no movement. "Well?" he  
prompted.  
  
Harry's slightly grumpy voice said, "You completely ruined the mood."  
  
He what? "How on earth did I do that?"  
  
"I don't know," Harry answered, "but you did."  
  
"We've been... in the mood," he sneered," for nearly a week and NOW the urge too jump me and  
melt every single bone in my body suddenly vanishes?"  
  
"I make your bones melt?"  
  
He briefly closed his eyes and cursed his loose tongue. "You thought you were the only one  
affected?" That up until now I had been humoring you. Yes, of course you've figured it out  
POTTER, this was all a plot to give you the worst case of blue balls in the history of the  
Wizarding world."  
  
"You know, you made you point near the end of your second sentence."  
  
Petulant. "I like being verbose."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
He had to shut him up. Severus sat up and took a long caress, starting from Harry's cheek and  
ending at the tip of his cot boxer clad erection..  
  
As his heart sped up, he noted that he had not been unaffected by the move. But judging by the  
renewed harsh panting coming from his partner, it had not been to the same degree. "How's the  
mood now?"  
  
"Better?" Harry's unsure voice said.  
  
"Not ruined then, just a but tarnished." He laid back down, "Do you need instructions?"  
  
"No, Hermione told me the basics," there was some embarrassment in Harry's voice, "and then  
Ron gave me some practical advice."  
  
He took back every bad thing he'd ever said about Weasley, just for getting him out of that little  
scenario.  
  
There was a brief silence before Harry asked, "Do you want me to... erm... take off your..." the  
voice trailed off.  
  
Take of his? Oh. His boxers.  
  
Right. Nakedness was going to come into this somewhere. Silently he slid them off and motioned  
for Harry to continue.  
  
"Oh."  
  
A tentative hand slid up his thigh, lightly massaging the muscle. It explored the area thoroughly  
before tentatively laying touching... him.  
  
A spark shot through him and his hips bucked. "I'm not as young as I used to be," he ground out,  
"try to not waste this opportunity."  
  
The hand disappeared only to reappear a moment later, covered in a thick slippery substance.  
  
Good stuff. He was after all, one of the better Potions Masters in Britain.  
  
The hand found what it was seeking and he felt a tentative invasion. Instinctively he widened his  
legs. Something inside was gearing up, a strange anticipation, that had little to do with incipient  
orgasm, was building in his body. It was as if he was coming into focus for the first time in a long  
time.  
  
There were two fingers now, gliding in and out and oh god did that feel good.  
  
He heard two sets of harsh breathing and suspected that Harry was very close to his limits for self  
control.  
  
"Stop." When had his voice gotten so rough? He sat up and looked Harry into eyes. "Just... get  
on with it."  
  
Taking deep breaths, Harry answered him, "Be careful, you're on the verge of killing the mood  
again."  
  
Severus answered by wrapping his hand around Harry, rubbing the lotion into the smooth flesh.   
As much as he tried to ignore the soft gasping sounds Harry was making, he found his body  
couldn't and he hurriedly finished smoothing the lotion over Harry.  
  
This time when he leaned back he drew Harry with him, "I trust you don't need a diagram."  
  
"I think I can figure it out."  
  
There was pressure. Then stretching, aching. Then slick sliding until- oh! He gasped and the  
movement stopped.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
He opened his eyes, when had he closed them? A harsh whisper came from his mouth. "Keep  
going. That was a good sound."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The movement continued until, some undeterminable time later, he could feel Harry flush against  
him.  
  
Harry's roughened voice came to him, "This is... this is... there are no words."  
  
He understood. It went beyond the physical, which, in and of itself, was once again, making his  
knees weak. There was something inside him, them, that was finally happy. He looked into green  
eyes and something snapped.  
  
Harry began to move.  
  
Oh god.  
  
Push and pull.  
  
Sliding.  
  
Sharp white-hot spikes started at the base of his spine and finished in bright colorful swirls behind  
his eye lids.  
  
So good. Glide. So very good.  
  
A rush of power went through him. Them.  
  
Hips started to work faster. His mind was awash in sensation.  
  
More. Need more. We need more.  
  
Good. Goodgoodgood.  
  
Don't stop. Can't stop. Won't stop.  
  
A sharp smacking sound.  
  
Keep going.  
  
Intoxicating pleasure. Building. Growing. Seeping into both of them.  
  
Oh god. More. Moremoremoremore.  
  
Need more.  
  
The soft slide of sweat soaked skin and against sweat soaked skin was just another detail that  
invaded their ravaged minds.  
  
There was a crescendo escalating. A plateau they were trying to reach, desperate to reach.  
  
Gasp. Pant. Pleading with each other.  
  
Need more.  
  
Tension mounting. Higher.  
  
Behind their eyes, they could see a glimmer. A shining, twinkling, golden fire. They reached for it.  
  
Closer... Closer...  
  
Higher... Higher...  
  
More....  
  
Need...  
  
Aching...  
  
Wanting...  
  
Stretching...  
  
They touched the light-   
  
-sharp pangs of pleasure arched through them.  
  
Sweet, tingling waves kept them gasping, clinging tightly to each other. The shuddering was  
beginning to subside when-  
  
-something crashed through both of them. A string pulled taut and they were one. For one  
moment they knew each others mind. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations were all doubled,  
then tripled. Fear, doubt, enjoyment, pain, and underneath it all, happiness and maybe... maybe  
they felt love. Pleasure went crashing through them once again. Until finally, darkness.  
  
TBC...  
  
Did you all have fun?  
  
Please feed the author. 


	6. 39

Disclaimers Etc... See part 1  
  
Author's notes: ARGH! Real life. Anyhoo. A bit short. But 1700 words. So not so short. There is  
a bit of plot. And there will probably be another part out before the end of the weekend. (All hail  
three day weekends)  
  
  
Part 39  
  
The first thing Severus became aware of was that he was in the same position as when he last fell  
asleep. Flat on his back with a large lump of Harry settled on his chest.  
  
He recalled flashes from the day *and* night before. Pieces of sensation really, skin against sheet,  
skin against skin, lips against lips.  
  
How many times? Two? No. Three. Three times. No wonder he hadn't moved.  
  
He opened his eyes and immediately the rest of his body checked in. He felt hung over and strung  
out. His arms, legs and head were so heavy, he thought it might take a gargantuan effort to lift  
them.  
  
He knew there were some potions in his night stand that might help, but first he actually had to  
get to them. Taking a deep breath, he moved his right arm and-  
  
Pain.  
  
Coursing up through his arm to his shoulder blade and down his back. It wrenched an agony filled  
moan from him. Harry moaned in sympathy from his chest. He looked down to see if he was  
awake and was rewarded with another white hot flare.  
  
"God, I think I pulled something." He murmured to himself. Then louder, "Harry."  
  
The boy mumbled, but did not move. Damn it. He hated asking for help. Let alone desperately  
calling for it. "Harry." He said more sharply.  
  
"Whaa?" Came the mumbled answer.  
  
"Can you move?"  
  
Harry tried to lift his head to respond, but froze mid-movement and collapsed back down. He felt  
the sympathy pain skitter across his neck and down his back.  
  
"Whatever it is, it seems to be catching." He made a decision. "I have something that might help,  
but I'm going to need to move to get it. Brace yourself."  
  
He waited for Harry's slight nod before proceeding. He slowly rolled to his right and gingerly  
reached out and opened the drawer. Face tight with pain, he realized that he wouldn't be able to  
lift himself up enough to actually look in inside. So he simple stuck his hand in enough times to  
remove all the bottles.  
  
There, those were the one's he needed. Carefully taking two of them he maneuvered himself back  
into his original position. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, attempting to calm the small  
convulsions his muscles were having.   
  
Harry let a small groan, "I hope you got it right on that try, because I'm not really sure if your up  
to that again." Not that Harry looked any better than he felt.  
  
"Here, take this." He placed the bottle in Harry's hand.  
  
Slowly he was able to remove the cork and bring the bottle to his lips. Two slightly painful gulps  
later he felt the first signs of the muscle relaxant.  
  
Harry took a bit longer but eventually managed it. "Oh... That's much better." Harry laid back  
and enjoyed the feeling for a few moments, "What was in that anyway?"  
  
"Slight muscle relaxant, pain reliever, anti-inflammatory."  
  
"Useful stuff that is."  
  
He recalled a number of previous times he had used that particular concoction. Spying had been a  
treacherous game. "Yes. It is." The silence this time seemed deafening. "How are you feeling?"  
He asked in an effort to make it less so.  
  
"Buggered out."  
  
"Are you even aware of the irony of that statement?"  
  
"Somewhat."  
  
"Good. Its nice to know that I'm not married to a complete dunderhead."  
  
"That almost sounded like a compliment. Keep trying and one of these days you'll get it right."  
Harry paused. "Oh god. Had almost forgotten about that."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"We got married."  
  
"Yes, there were even witnesses."  
  
"Ok, so you've confirmed that it wasn't a hallucination, now what?"  
  
"Now I take a shower and then you take a shower and then we... talk."  
_____  
  
The shower had been very refreshing, easing out some of the aches that the potion had not been  
able to take care of. Mostly those muscles he had used before the potion.  
  
Harry appeared with tousled hair and a pair of sleep pants.  
  
Severus eyed him warily. Too much smooth skin over defined muscle.  
  
Harry shrugged "You said comfortable."  
  
He watched the muscle play over the quick movement, before responding. "Those aren't mine."  
  
"It seems the headmaster has taken liberties with your wards again."  
  
His shoulders tightened in irritation and then his eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know  
about that."  
  
"I.." Harry frowned. "I... don't know."  
  
"Another result of last night, I would surmise." Severus pursed his lips.  
  
"Oh." Harry thought about it for a moment, "What's the password for the Marauder's Map."  
  
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He blinked. "Good lord that's atrocious. Let me guess.  
Black came up with that."  
  
Harry apparently decided not to answer him, instead saying, "Well, it goes both ways, whatever it  
is."  
  
"Oh good, that just makes this situation, that much more horrifying."  
  
"Stop acting like you're the only one this is affecting."  
  
He closed his eyes briefly, "Just come here."  
  
Harry moved to stand to him, "What are we doing?"  
  
"Stretches. Here," he placed his hands on Harry's arms and maneuvered them into his normal  
starting position. "I usually do this every morning. All things considered, you should know what  
to do now." He moved to stand beside Harry, waited and beat and began.  
  
Harry reached in the air, wincing at a few aches, "When did you start doing this?"  
  
"Lucius." Was all he was willing to say. "He had an infatuation with the East for a time. I found a  
few of the routines... relaxing, as well as good for recovering from... strenuous activities."  
  
Harry seemed satisfied, thankfully he didn't press the issue like normal. He seemed to have no  
problem with the basic stretching, but as they slipped in the routine, Harry's normal grace failed  
him. "It seems while you may know information, your form leaves something to be desired."  
  
He moved behind Harry and gently lifted his arms, "Slow." They swayed together, bodies moving  
in tandem. Their arms arched up, then left, then slowly arced in from of them, as if sweeping the  
air out of the way. "Smooth, no jerking motions." The routine began again, adding waist  
movements. He bent forward and took Harry with him, they swung in the air, bodies almost  
touching. Again the routine began, this time adding legs, it was like a strange dance, they moved  
around the room, agonizingly slow. Then again, faster. And once more, faster still, sharper,  
quicker. They whipped about. Never breaking, moving, flowing, stretching and then-  
  
they were done.  
  
They stood there panting, unmoving, until Harry pressed back, Severus gave a startled moan and  
firm flesh met hard.  
  
His rough voice spoke, "Well, I guess that answers the question about whether this thing has been  
sated or not."  
  
"Where you always this observant, or did it develop over time."  
  
Severus just wrapped his arms around the body in front of him and pulled it closer, "Shut up." He  
dragged him to the couch.  
  
Once seated he dove under the thin pants that had been taunting him the whole morning, riding  
low in slim hips.  
  
Harry's hand scrabbled for his own pants, sharp spikes of pleasure were already traveling all over  
his body. There was no finesse in this. Quick pulls, leaving them both breathless. It didn't take  
long. Around the fifth or the sixth, muscles spasmed and on the seventh, pleasure welled up in  
both of them and exploded through their nerves.  
  
Severus melted into the couch, feeling much more relaxed. Harry collapsed on top of him.  
  
"I wasn't really expecting that."  
  
He was actually getting used to discerning what the muffled voice near his chest was saying. He  
made a note to be upset about it later. When he regained feeling in his legs.  
______  
  
Draco walked into the great hall and headed directly for his place. The Slytherin table was emptier  
than normal. The casualties of war. Some had joined their parents, others had fought back twice  
as hard, resentful of the manipulation of most of their childhood.  
  
His side was almost empty, just a few stragglers. He moved away from them and sat down to  
begin his meal.  
  
He was mostly through, when bits and pieces of conversation began to hit his ears.  
  
"...didn't show up..."  
  
"...don't think he's studying..."  
  
At first he was worried that they were talking about him, he didn't like rumors that he didn't first  
start. They were uncontrollable that way.  
  
"Can't believe Dumbledore..."  
  
"...but a teacher??..."  
  
But it soon became apparent that it was not him. It seemed that yesterdays rumor mill had not  
quite finished chewing up and spitting out Professor Snape's reputation.  
  
He surreptitiously looked around the room, trying to see if Hermione and Ron had noticed as  
well. His eyes centered on them, they didn't look happy. Then they had heard the whispers also.  
In fact, they were probably being outright questioned if the Gryffindor's held true to nature.  
  
He didn't care what anyone said. Forthrightness was a pain in the ass.  
  
Ron's eyes were scanning the room too. They met Draco's and locked, he gave a pleading look  
that Draco was hard pressed to decipher.  
  
Until those eyes somehow managed to look at him and then their owner and back.  
  
Of course.  
  
The rumors. At this point they'd only stop if they had something juicier to latch on to.  
  
Why not.  
  
His reputation was shot anyway.  
  
Professor Snape was really his only family left. He had been trusted with a secret. A very  
damaging secret, he should at the very least help keep it.  
  
He finished a few more bites from his plate before pushing it away, suddenly not hungry. He stood  
up and crossed the room to the Gryffindor table. Not many had noticed his trek, but those who  
had, turned wide eyes on him.  
  
He reached Ron's seat and placed a hand on the red head's shoulder. The table had turned  
decidedly hostile, except for Hermione of course. She gave a him a quick, heartwarming smile.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
Ron made a show of looking startled that he was there and then presenting him with a friendly  
smile. "Yes Draco?"  
  
He could have heard a pin drop.  
  
"You left your sweater in my room."  
  
"I know, I figured since I was coming over again tonight, I'd just pick it up then."  
  
He gave a sharp nod. "Good."   
  
He didn't turn away. It still needed something, something that would make it positively the  
juiciest thing they had the pleasure of hearing or seeing.  
  
He gave the shoulder a tight squeeze and then let his hand wander up through red hair, caressing  
it slightly and then let it linger as he pulled away. "See you then." He said, before turning and  
leaving the room.  
  
As the doors shut behind him, the roar of questioning voices was almost deafening.  
  
TBC...  
  
Author's note: While writing this... I noticed there is a huge similarity between writing sex and  
writing pain. Same words, expression etc... hehe... Paging Dr. Freud. Come in Dr. Freud.  
  
Please feed the author. 


	7. 40

Disclaimers etc... See Part 1  
  
Author's note: Um, this is prolly it till the weekend again. Another long week of classes and  
shows. But then its done YAY!.  
  
Um, on another note: Great Googly Moogly! 40 ..... we're up to 40. Yeesh.  
  
Just for shits and giggles: http://amireal.livejournal.com  
  
  
Part 40  
  
There was a pleasant tingling feeling all through his body, better than the pain from earlier. He  
looked down, Harry looked similarly relaxed. They had shifted so that Harry wasn't half draped  
all over him. Instead the young man was draped between his legs. Big difference.  
  
He poked Harry in the shoulder. "That's enough after-glow. Do you think its possible to have a  
conversation that does not end in an orgasm?"  
  
Harry swallowed and turned glassy eyes on him, "Not if your voice stays like that."  
  
He chose to ignore the comment. "First a little... experiment."  
  
"Hrmm?"  
  
"The... mess." He pointed at their laps. He closed his eyes and concentrated.  
  
Harry interrupted his concentration, "How did you..." a surprised voiced asked.  
  
He opened his eyes again. "That's what I thought. Wandless magic."  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "Oh god. You're right. But I thought we needed to... I don't know.  
Touch?"  
  
He gestured at their current positions. "I thought we were."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But you do have a point, last time we had to... we held hands."  
  
"But last time was... a bigger... spell."  
  
He nodded. "Get up. I want to try something." They got up. "Stand over there. I want no  
opportunities for touching." He pointed to his desk. "I'm going to try and lift that book  
  
He closed his eyes and gathered his concentration, opened them again and, "*Wingardium  
Leviosa*"  
  
The book wobbled and shuddered and slowly began to rise. It was like being a first year again.  
But it was working and that was a miracle. He slowly let the book down. "You try."  
  
Harry repeated what he had done and achieved similar results.  
  
They both fell silent. Letting their actions speak for themselves. It became thick, with the  
consequences of what they had just learned. Finally he said, "I have the feeling I'm going to have  
another long conversation with the headmaster."  
  
Harry looked at him. "Does this mean that eventually we'll be able to do any spell without a  
wand?"  
  
It was a possibility, but there were too many variables to say for certain. "Maybe. But in any  
event, its going to take a lot of practice."  
  
Harry grimaced. "Oh good, homework."  
  
"Its nice to know you have priorities."  
  
A sloppy grin appeared. "Well now that the scourge of the wizarding world is nice and dead, I can  
concentrate on more mundane things."  
  
"Just... Shut up."  
______  
  
Harry arrived for lunch with a lot of time to spare. After a morning of experimenting with magic,  
he was ravenous. As he approached the doors to the Great Hall apprehension welled up in him, he  
didn't want to deal with prying eyes and whispered accusations.  
  
Standing outside the doors, he took a deep breath and went in. He was braced for it, ready for the  
stares, the questions, th-  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
No one noticed he came in.  
  
Not that he wasn't grateful, but...  
  
He warily sat down at the table and leaned over to Ginny. "What's going on?"  
  
"Gossip, as usual." She answered with an amused smile on her face.  
  
Here it comes. "What is it this time?"  
  
"Ron and Draco."  
  
Blink. "What?"  
  
"They made quite a scene this morning."  
  
"Scene?"  
  
She giggled. "Well, it was a scene for Malfoy, anyway."  
  
"What happened."  
  
She told him.  
  
"You're not upset?"  
  
"Hermione's not upset. That's good enough for me."  
  
He always liked Ginny. She was a sensible one.  
  
He noticed that the room had suddenly gotten quiet. Looking up he saw that everyone's eyes  
were following Draco as he headed away from the Slytherin table. As one, the entire room looked  
at Ron, who seemed to be obliviously chewing on a chicken leg, they turned back to Draco who  
walked right past him and out the doors.  
  
The room let out a collective sigh. No new news.  
  
They turned to Ron and watched him eat his chicken with interest that bordered insane. Harry  
chose follow Ron's example and eat.  
  
He heard a small squeak come from the far corner of the room, he didn't have to look up to know  
that it was Severus entering through the back door. He played with the ring on his finger and idly  
noted that the itching was almost absent.  
  
But considering how'd they'd spent the day... and the night... and the morning...  
  
He shook his head, smiling a little.  
  
"Hey Harry," Ron said, "why're you smiling."  
  
Dean spoke up, "He obviously hasn't heard the latest gossip."  
  
"Oh?" He asked, wondering what they were going to say.  
  
"Oh hush Dean" Ginny interrupted. "Get over it."  
  
Ron smiled again, "Speaking of gossip, I have to run." He got up and left.  
  
Seamus elbowed Dean and whispered something in his ear. They got up also.  
  
Hermione stared after them with a worried look on her face.  
  
"Hermione?" Harry asked.  
  
"I don't know, I think I'll go after Ron, I'll talk to you later Harry." And she was gone as well.  
______  
  
Draco was walking through the hallway when Ron came up behind him.  
  
Ron gave him a beaming smile. "Thank you for that."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"This morning. At breakfast, what you did."  
  
He studied Ron carefully and reached out grabbed a forearm, squeezed and then slid down until  
his hand held another. "It wasn't a pity fuck."  
  
Ron blinked. Then smiled again. "Right."  
  
He was about to say more, but the breath was knocked out of him as he was tackled and shoved  
against the wall. He was going to praise Ron for his inventiveness when he noticed it wasn't Ron.  
  
Ron was sprawled on the floor being held there by Dean. Seamus had him by the collar.  
  
Oh goody. A confrontation.  
  
Dean. "I don't know what's going on-"  
  
Seamus. "But we want an explanation-"  
  
Both. "Now."  
  
He snarled. "None of your business-"  
  
Seamus shook him. "Not you."  
  
"Seamus, put him down." Ron's angry voice came at them.  
  
"Not until-"  
  
"*PETRIFICUS!*" Hermione came from no where, like a blazing hero, eyes bright with anger.  
"How *dare* you!" She stalked up behind a scared looking Seamus, "Put him down."  
  
"But Hermione-"  
  
Her knee came up in a sharp movement and his captor howled. "Put. Him. Down."  
  
She hadn't needed to clarify... Seamus had already been sliding to the floor. But it added to the  
affect.  
  
She continued. "NEVER touch my boyfriends again."  
  
God she was beautiful.  
  
Seamus, simply because he was the one who could still move, opened his mouth in shock, though  
that could have just been the pain.  
  
"What in the HELL did you think you were doing? Assaulting him? I think he's proven that he  
can be trusted." She somehow managed to convey the affect that she was stalking them while  
standing still.  
  
"We..." Seamus wheezed, "we were worried."  
  
Hands on her hips. "And you couldn't ASK Ron? Didn't Harry just go through this?"  
  
"...didn't think..."  
  
"No apparently you didn't. Let me clarify, Draco saved Harry's life. That's more than enough for  
me. What's your excuse?"  
  
So beautiful.  
  
"Draco, Ron? Come on. Seamus, I trust you can release Dean when you recover?"  
  
He brushed invisible lint off his shoulders. "After you."  
  
"Being a gentleman?"  
  
"No," He gave her a sly smile, "I don't want to turn my back to you."  
______  
  
Severus was at his desk when the knock came.  
  
Harry looked up from his work, slightly panicked.  
  
"Take your things into the bedroom, I shall see who it is."  
  
Harry nodded and quickly gathered his books and went.  
  
He opened the door. And stared. "Black."  
  
"Snape." Black shook his head. "Severus. Can I come in?"  
  
"That depends. Are you going to assault me?"  
  
"No."  
  
He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Here," Black handed him his wand. "Take it. I promise, no fighting, no yelling. I just want to  
talk. To both of you."  
  
He eyed the stick in his hand for a moment before moving aside and allowing the mangy mongrel  
in. Closing the door, he said, "Harry, you can come out."  
  
Harry appeared, smiling, "I was worried, who was it?" his smiled faltered has his eyes found  
Black. "Sirius."  
  
"Harry."  
  
"Look, if you're here to argue or yell or.. Whatever... I don't want to hear it."  
  
"I'm not. Can we sit down?" They sat. "I want to... apologize."  
  
He what? They blinked at him.  
  
"I just."Black began, "I reacted badly. I got here, and you were hurt and part of this strange  
relationship and it looked like things were spiraling out of control and that he was in the middle.  
At least to me."  
  
"He wasn't" Harry snapped.  
  
"I know." Black agreed, "I just wanted someone to blame. For hurting you, for taking you away  
from me."  
  
A touching scene that he didn't want to witness. So he interrupted. "As touching as this is, why  
the sudden turn around Black."  
  
He laughed and shook his head a bit. "I recently had my prejudices shoved back in my face. You  
learn a few things when that happens."  
  
He snorted.  
  
"I know. Understatement. I just wanted to say that, I've had the chance to look at the fact now.  
And I'm not mad. I'm not going to try to hurt Sna- Severus. No more yelling."  
  
"Thank you." Harry said quietly.  
  
"I was there, by the way." Black added.  
  
Harry looked confused. "You were there?"  
  
"In the corner. Albus had me bound and gagged, but I was there."  
  
Severus couldn't resist a small snort. "That is certainly Albus' style."  
  
Harry gave a small smile. "I'm glad you were there."  
  
Black added. "Me too."  
  
And he thought his life was bizarre before.  
______  
  
They were once again safely ensconced on the Sofa in Draco's room. Draco between Ron and  
Hermione.  
  
"Well that was an interesting day." Draco began to tick off points with his fingers, "Ron comes  
out of the closet. Hermione finally reveals her sado-masochistic tendencies..."  
  
Hermione slapped the hand. "Oh hush you. You know you liked it."  
  
"Watching you knee Seamus in the groin? Yes. It was immensely pleasurable."  
  
Ron smirked. "I'll admit that I had fun watching it too."  
  
Draco turned to the red head. "But you, what was that about at breakfast?"  
  
He shrugged. "Well, 'Mione and I talked about it, we knew the rumors were going to be out of  
hand, so we came up with a plan. Distract them with something."  
  
"How'd you pick you?"  
  
Hermione asnwered. "We figured there would be a lot of people trying to forcefully defend my  
honor."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "So what didn't work?"  
  
There was a dark look on Ron's face. "Seamus and Dean are morons?"  
  
"Actually," Hermione put in, "I think that if it had been me, there would have been more of a  
mob."  
  
Draco looked at her for a moment and then turned to Ron, "She's probably right."  
  
"She usually is."  
  
"Draco, please shut him up."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"You're closer."  
  
Ron was about to say something, but all he got out was a few muffled sounds, Draco had  
effectivly captured his lips.  
  
Hermione smiled. "Thank you."  
  
When Ron had recovered from being shut up, he asked, "So why did YOU do it?"  
  
Draco looked at both of them and let a sly smile appear on his lips. "I like to fuck with people's  
heads."  
  
He was hit soundly, from both sides, with pillows.  
______  
  
Severus was having a hard time understanding the situation, the three of them were... having a  
conversation. He *almost* had the urge to use the dog's first name.  
  
It had to be the spell.  
  
"So," Black continued, "Slapped me."  
  
"But I thought you said you didn't say anything." Harry asked.  
  
"That's what I said, but Lilly just looked at me and said, 'I know what you're thinking.'"  
  
Harry's head rolled back as he let out a long laugh. They were sitting next to each other,  
touching. Black had barely flinched when it had started to happen. But had said nothing. Another  
reason to think that he was in an alternate universe.  
  
Before anything more was said, there was a sharp knock at the door. Without asking Harry got up  
and left the room.  
  
He opened the door and there stood Lupin.  
  
"Hello Severus, Albus said I should just come right here."  
  
He really needed to have a talk with Albus.  
  
A nice long talk.  
  
TBC...  
  
Ok. Yes. Bunches of short scenes. But they were important.  
  
Ok. Please feed the author? The author is doing that strange weepy hormone thing. Argh. 


	8. 41

Disclaimers etc... See part 1  
  
Author's notes: Lots of transition and groundwork. But all important. And some of it just a little bit  
of home. We're in the home stretch boys and girls. But I'm no where near done with the universe. I  
mean. How many people are just dying to see what happens when Ron takes Draco home to mama?  
Heheh.  
  
My live journal: http://amireal.livejournal.com  
  
  
Part 41  
  
Severus eyed the latest intruder with distaste. "He told you to just come right down here, did he?"  
  
Remus's jovial attitude did not seem to be swayed by the chilly reception, "Yes, Albus mentioned  
something about a meeting."  
  
Severus raised an eyebrow. "He did, did he?"  
  
Remus gave a smile. "Yes, he did."  
  
"I don't suppose he mentioned anything else useful." Severus closed his eyes in resignation.  
  
"Just that he would be down in a moment, something about giving me time to get acquainted with  
my surroundings" his demeanor turned puzzled for a moment, "I'll admit I've never been in your  
rooms before, but I don't really understand what he said."  
  
Eyes still closed, he asnwered. "It was merely another example of the Albus being a bloody  
annoying know it all."  
  
Before Remus could respond a voice called from further in the room, Harry's. "For gods sake just  
let him in."  
  
Lupin's eyes widened in surprise. "Harry?"  
  
Severus rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes, Harry. Come in before you start attracting attention." He led  
Lupin back into his sitting room where Harry and Black were waiting.  
  
"Harry, Sirius, what're you doing here?"  
  
There was a tense, almost guilty silence, finally Harry spoke up, "It's a... long story, Remus."  
  
"Oh really? My favorite kind."  
  
And so once again they embarked up the twisted sorted tale that was their... betrothal- good lord,  
what was he thinking?  
  
Lupin was looking more and more incredulous but held his tongue until they were done. "That's  
very disconcerting."  
  
"You're not the one living it." Severus said dryly.  
  
Remus shook his head. "No, not that."  
  
Oh he was afraid. "What then?"  
  
With a glimmer in his eye that resembled Albus', Remus asnwered. "You're completing each  
other's sentences."  
  
"We are not!" They shouted.  
  
At the same time.  
  
Fuck.  
  
Remus reclined in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. "I think I'm just going to let that  
speak for itself."  
  
Severus muttered to himself. "Bloody lunatic."'  
  
"Ah, I see everyone is here and in good health." Albus appeared from somewhere near the doorway.  
  
Dammit, he knew he'd rewarded the door.  
  
"No thanks to you." He sneered out.  
  
"Now Severus."  
  
"Yes Albus?"  
  
Albus graced him with one of those all knowing looks. "Do be happy in the fact that I did not choose  
a more inappropriate time to send you your visitors."  
  
He nearly blushed when he remembered how close a call it had been with Black. "You're an evil old  
man Albus."  
  
"Quite."  
  
Black made a high pitched strangled sound. He ignored it. "Why are we all here anyway?"  
  
"I thought it would be a convenient way to update all of you on the plans for tomorrow."  
  
"And entertain you in the process." Severus shot back.  
  
Albus shrugged. "It's the simple pleasures that keep me going."  
  
Severus personally thought that it was more likely some pilfered drugs from Madame Pomfrey's  
supply closet. "Please, just get on with it."  
  
"Certainly." Albus complied. "Tomorrow, after breakfast, we will be joined by Cornelius Fudge and  
two aurors-"  
  
Severus was incredulous."Are you trying to get us killed?"  
  
Albus looked at him. "I did not have much of a choice, imagine his reaction to finding out after the  
fact."  
  
"Imagine Lucius' reaction to finding out that he's guilty without even having the courtesy of a  
trial." Harry bristled next to him.  
  
"Severus, imagine all of our reactions if all does not go as we hope."  
  
Damn it. He hated it when Albus had a point. "Fine, continue."  
  
"They will join, me, you, Sirius, Remus, Minerva, Poppy, Draco and Harry at the meeting place."  
  
Black broke in, "Harry's not going anywhere near this insanity."  
  
Before he could say anything, harry spoke up, "Sirius, you're assuming that you have any say in the  
matter."  
  
Severus silently cheered Harry's obvious statement. Mangy mutt deserved to have it thrown in his  
face.  
  
"Good lord," Black looked horrified, " you're beginning to sound like him."  
  
Speaking of things being shoved in people's faces. "I've already had this conversation with him  
Black, there was nothing I could say that would convince him that it was a foolhardy endeavor at  
best."  
  
Lupin spoke up. "Try withholding sex."  
  
He favored the werewolf with a glower that would wilt flowers. "Thank you for that entirely useless  
suggestion."  
  
"And the terrible mental image." Black added.  
  
Lupin shrugged. "It always worked with Sirius."  
  
Two startled silences and three raised eyebrows filled the room.  
  
"His girlfriends, present and past used to get together and scheme." Lupin supplied.  
  
Black got an indignant look on his face, "That would explain so much."  
  
Harry sniggered. "From what I've heard, it serves you right."  
  
Black's eyes narrowed and shot Severus a quick glance before returning to Harry, "What have you  
heard?"  
  
Before anyone could answer, Albus interrupted, "Children, please, it is well past my bedtime and I  
would like to wrap this up."  
  
They silenced themselves.  
  
"Thank you, as I was saying, Lucius is scheduled to appear at approximately 11:00 he will be  
greeted at the gate by a portkey, that will work for him and only him and which will take him to a  
specially warded room in the dungeon, where the 11 of us will be strategically placed. The only ones  
Lucius will, hopefully, be aware of will be you, Severus, myself and Draco. From there, we will  
have to play it by ear."  
  
Severus sneered. "And we all know how much I love that."  
  
"Now Severus, what's life without a bit of adventure?"  
  
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "There's adventure and then there's idiocy."  
  
"Its always been a fine line."  
  
He threw his hands up in the air. "He finally admits it."  
  
"But idiocy can certainly be fun."  
  
He would never win, it was becoming clear now.  
  
"Thank you gentlemen, I will leave you to your evening." Just as Albus had reached the door, he  
turned back, "Come Severus, I'm positive you can find several things to berate me about." And he  
was gone.  
  
"He is right."He said, and added, mostly to himself, "As usual." He turned to Harry, "I'll be back in  
an hour." With a sharp nod to Black and Lupin, he too, was gone.  
______  
  
Harry found himself alone in a room with Remus and Sirius. On a regular day he would have  
enjoyed the visit. Today he had the feeling it wasn't going to be as pleasant.  
  
Remus turned to him with a strangely muted smile on his face, "So Harry, how are you doing?"  
  
He took a moment to really thing about it before answering, "Well, Remus, I'm fine. I would almost  
describe myself as good."  
  
Sirius peered closely at him, "Really Harry? Because you may not have a choice about him" Sirius  
choked on the word, "buggering you, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with that attitude of  
his."  
  
Harry laughed a bit, "First of all, I'd like to congratulate you on your mature handling of the  
situation." He paused for Remus' laughter. "Second, I'm really ok, he's treating me fine, I'm  
treating him fine, we're both fine." He watched both Remus and Sirius relax minutely at that  
pronouncement. "Third, he hasn't buggered me," Sirius looked confused, "yet." He waited for Sirius  
to recover, really he should have known better than to say that while he was drinking something.  
"Really," he continued, "I'm rather looking forward to it, it looked quite enjoyable."  
  
Sirius' mouth was practically on the floor, "You mean he.. You... he let.."  
  
Remus just looked amused.  
  
Harry spoke again, "Sirius, close your mouth before you start catching flies," maybe he was  
spending too much time with Se- Se Snape. He was going to have to get used to that name. "Sirius,  
I suggest you stop asking questions you don't really want to hear the answers to."  
  
"It's good advice padfoot."  
  
"Look, Sirius, I don't know how I can convince you, but we can't... we can't hurt each other."  
  
Sirius let out a large sigh. "I know Harry, I just feel so out of control in this."  
  
"Imagine how I feel."  
______  
  
Three lone figures stood outside the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
The red headed on leaned over to the blonde and said, "They outnumber us in there, you know."  
  
The blonde nodded. "Most probably."  
  
The brunette, the female spoke next, "They're probably not going to be happy."  
  
The blonde smiled. "Of that I have no doubt."  
  
Again, the red head, "You're enjoying this aren't you?"  
  
Draco gave an evil grin. "Much more than I probably should."  
  
Ron turned to Hermione. "Well at least he has that."  
  
"Come on," Draco said, "I want to introduce you to the subtle art that is head fucking."  
  
The only response was two deep sighs.  
  
"Come on," he urged, "we haven't got all night, this type of thing requires an audience."  
  
Hermione leaned closer to the portrait of the fat lady and said, "Morning Glory."  
  
"Let me guess, McGonagall set the password?"  
  
"How'd you know." Ron asked.  
  
Draco shrugged. "She seems like the scary morning person type."  
  
Ron entered first, followed by Draco and then Hermione. They didn't make a big production out of  
it, just walked calmly though the common room. Until it became obvious that where there had once  
been a rambunctious amount of noise, there was now a heavy silence.  
  
The trio turned and faced their audience.  
  
Ron spoke first. "What?" He was met with silence.  
  
Hermione tried next, "Do I have a spot on my face somewhere? Why are all of you staring at me?"  
  
Draco was especially proud of her. It normally took years of practice to perfect that sort of innocent  
tone.  
  
Colin spoke up. "Because we're afraid to move."  
  
"Why?" She asked, again in that innocent tone. She was playing them like a fiddle.  
  
He was once again struck by how beautiful she was.  
  
"You might hurt us." Colin answered.  
  
She shook her head and approached him like a 5 year old. "Don't be silly."  
  
Colin nearly tripped over himself trying to get away. "I saw Seamus, I'm not being silly."  
  
Hermione shook her head, "I think the rest of you are smart enough to learn from his example. Just  
don't do anything stupid."  
  
Ron turned to Draco, "She's hot isn't she."  
  
"Not the word I would have chosen, but yes. Definitely hot."  
  
The room had become quiet again.  
  
Hermione spoke at them, "We'll be upstairs if anyone needs us, try not to." she turned around  
grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him in for a bruising kiss that left him dizzy. She then dragged him  
upstairs with Ron following sheepishly behind them.  
  
He was so proud of her.  
  
Just before entering her room he said, "I think we can move you to the advanced lessons."  
______  
  
Severus stalked after the headmaster all the way to his office. He watched him putter about, taking  
his time getting seated, pouring a cub of tea and slicing himself some pastry.  
  
"Now Severus, what would you like to talk about."  
  
He opened his mouth the answer, but found that he was too angry to form the words.  
  
"Can't think of anything?"  
  
Severus took a moment and began again. "After last night, I find myself coherent and able to more  
than the most basic tasks for greater periods of time. This has allowed me to contemplate your recent  
actions with a scrutiny that I had lacked earlier."  
  
"And what have you concluded?"  
  
"That you are the most manipulative, conniving, bastard I have ever met."  
  
"You're too kind."  
  
He slammed hi fists on the desk, "Dammit Albus, that was not a compliment! It was not a joke! You  
play with my life and the lives of others as if we were mere pawns! You meddled with something so  
personal that I can't even describe! I'm so out of control I can't stand it! And all you do is sit there  
with that stupid smile."  
  
Albus looked at him seriously for a moment, "What would you have me say, Severus. You of all  
people know that we must do things we dislike to have won this war. Which, despite Voldemort's  
demise, I believe is far from over."  
  
"I want some courtesy! It's the least I can ask for from a member of my own family!"  
  
An air of angry energy instantly permeated the room, a surprisingly quick hand was in the air and  
casting a silencing charm. "Watch your tongue Severus!"  
  
It was the closest to a yell he had heard come from Albus' mouth since he was a child.  
  
Albus took a moment to calm himself. "You should know better than to say things like that where  
they can be overheard. I am sorry that this is frustrating Severus, but I cannot accomplish what I  
need to accomplish any other way."  
  
"So you make fools of all of us. Me especially."  
  
"While I admit that I do enjoy watching my carefully laid plans come to fruition, I do not enjoy the  
machinations." Albus stood up and came to the other side of the desk. "You are my only kin left, I  
care about you more than you know and it pains me greatly what I have asked you to do and what I  
have done to you without permission, but I take care in the fact that it had to be done."  
  
"All I ask is a little courtesy in your intrusions into my life."  
  
"I will try, but please remember that I do not always have a choice in the way that I do things."  
______  
  
When Severus returned to his rooms he found that they were empty, save for Harry sitting on the  
sofa reading a book.  
  
"Where are Black and Lupin?"  
  
"They left a few minutes ago. I had a tough time convincing them I was ok after that backwash of  
anger I got from you."  
  
"Yes, we're going to need to explore this connection a bit more."  
  
"Probably."  
  
They stared at each other for a few moment before Harry slowly put the book he was holding down  
and stood up. They met in the center and stared a bit more.  
  
Black eyes met green and something sparked between them. The reached for each other at the same  
time, lips mashed together and fought for dominance, soft wet licks punctuation by quick nips.  
  
Again he didn't remember making it to the bedroom or how most of his clothes came of, though he  
did vaguely recall that it had all felt amazingly good.  
  
Then Harry sprawled out on the bed with a look in his eye. "My turn." he rasped.  
  
Severus could only nod and reach for one of the bottles he a specially set on the night table earlier.  
  
He lost himself again in soft gasps and the slide of skin and then he was there, harry was as ready as  
he would ever be, hips thrusting in the air, back arching, eyes begging him to continue.  
  
So he did.  
  
Slow. Go slow.  
  
Oh god, so perfect.  
  
Harry's eyes glazed over a bit, so he waited until a shift of hips encouraged him again.  
  
Soon he was lost in the depths of Harry, not knowing where one began and the other ended.  
  
Face to face, for the spell would not allow anything else, they moved in an instinctual rhythm.  
  
Faster. He needed more.  
  
Almost too much.  
  
But oh so good.  
  
Hot silk heat enveloped him and coaxed him.  
  
Muscles tightened, movement became fluid and they drove closer and closer.  
  
Oh god, right there. That was perfect.  
  
Keep going. Don't' stop.  
  
They needed this, wanted it so badly.  
  
Fingers intertwined and held tight.  
  
So close.  
  
Close.  
  
Close.  
  
There!  
  
Backs arched, muscles spasmed.  
  
Loud gasps filled the air and finally-  
  
-they collapsed, panting. Exhausted, they fell asleep.  
______  
  
The morning saw an angry looking crow delivering the Daily Profit directly to Severus Snape's  
desk. The headline read:  
  
HARRY POTTER-SNAPE? A DAILY PROFIT EXCLUSIVE!  
  
TBC...  
  
Have fun? Hehehe. Please feed the author. 


	9. 42

Disclaimers etc.. See Part 1  
  
Author's notes: Disclaimer: This was envisioned and mostly written months ago. I've actually  
delayed posting it for reasons that should become clear when you're done reading it.  
  
Um. Other than that. Well. There are several questions that this answers, it also raises a few  
others. There are only a few more chapters left and they will all be covered... hopefully.  
  
  
Part 42  
  
He woke up in layers. Only aware of a few sensations at a time. The soft feeling of skin beneath  
his cheek, the sheets shifting against his back, the sound of soft, deep breathing all registered with  
him.  
  
Severus Snape, however, did not want to move. He was too comfortable and relaxed. Finally,  
completely, relaxed. There was no more underlying tension permeating his body and he knew that  
if he moved, the day would begin and it was just get worse and worse.  
  
Harry twitched beneath him, causing him to jerk a bit. The movement sent a deep ache through  
his entire body. Not nearly as sharp or all encompassing but still very painful. He slowly rolled  
over and reached for the carefully placed bottle and drank from it. The pain ebbed and his muscles  
took on a state of lethargy that he had rarely encountered. Harry moaned next to him and he  
quickly placed the second bottle at Harry's lips and forced him to drink. Harry gave a small sigh  
and settled back to sleep.  
  
Severus laid back down and stared at the ceiling. A sense of foreboding came over him. Today  
was not going to be a good day. It was never a good day when your old lover met your current  
lover, and despite Albus' plan, he knew that they would meet. Harry wouldn't let the man go  
without at least looking Lucius in the eye. Not that he doubted Lucius would simply be allowed to  
walk off the grounds of Hogwarts as easily as he had been allowed to walk in.  
  
Harry mumbled something, rolled over and swung an arm over his chest. Possessive one, isn't he?  
"Harry." He called softly. The young man didn't move. Surprise. "Harry. Wake up. You need to  
make an appearance in the great hall."  
  
"All right, all right." The young man mumbled from the vicinity of his chest. I think this stuff is  
finally beginning to kick in anyway." Harry rolled over and slid out of bed. He stood up and  
directly into a large stretch and immediately fell to his knees gasping in surprise.  
  
Severus sat up straight. "Are you alright?"  
  
Harry gave a few deep breaths before answering. "I think so. Just really dizzy."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I think I stood up too fast." Harry slowly got to his feet. Once standing he looked uncertain for a  
moment. He took a small step and nearly pitched forward again.  
  
"Still dizzy?" Severus asked.  
  
"No." Harry shook his head. "At least I don't think so." He took a moment to look around.  
"Something feels... off."  
  
Severus stood up and moved next to Harry. "Wrong how?"  
  
Harry looked at him and then did a double take. "Oh my god."  
  
"What?" He was getting irritated.  
  
"I'm... No... It can't be."  
  
"Potter." He growled.  
  
Harry's eyes shot up to meet his, "Don't do that, I can't think when you do that."  
  
"Then tell me what's wrong."  
  
Harry took another careful look around and another careful look at him before finally answering,  
"I think... I've got to be at least 3 or 4 inches taller."  
  
"What?" Severus looked carefully, Harry was right. He was taller. He began to pace.  
  
"Do you feel any different?" Harry asked.  
  
Severus took stock of his body and realized that there was something different. But what? He  
paced some more. Then it struck him, there wasn't any pain. The repetitive motions from constant  
potions plus the relative cool temperature of the dungeons had given him a touch of arthritis. He  
only took the potion on days when he knew his workload was going to be high, while it did clear  
up all symptoms entirely, early studies had shown that long term use did diminish its effectiveness.  
Since he was of a relatively young age, he was using it conservatively.  
  
But now. His fingers no longer had that telltale ache, his right wrist had more freedom of  
movement that he ever remembered having "Its gone," he said with wonderment, "my arthritis."  
He carefully flexed his fingers, "They don't hurt anymore."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
'I'm not sure, I think," He quickly paved to a mirror and examined his face. The skin had  
smoothed out. Small wrinkles around the eyes and mouth had disappeared. While wizards lived a  
long time, they aged as muggles until their early 40s. Now looking in the mirror, he looked 10  
years younger, putting him somewhere in his late 20s.   
  
"I think," he repeated, "That this is yet another affect of the spell." He turned to really examine  
Harry and was surprised to find a much heavier line of stubble than he had remembered from the  
morning before. "We appear to have moved closer in age. Not a lot, but enough."  
  
Harry walked behind him and peered at the mirror. "Wow. That's very strange. But I'm sure that  
the original spell wasn't meant to do this."  
  
"I'm sure it wasn't. But remember, we weren't hit with the original spell. It was something more  
intense. And the longer we delayed, the deeper it went."  
  
Harry swallowed and looked at Severus' reflection in the mirror, "How deep did it go?"  
  
Severus shook his head. "I refuse to have this conversation while the double entendres literally fly  
out of our mouths with a will of their own."  
  
Harry swallowed and nodded. "I'll just be off to breakfast then."  
  
Harry was dressed and out of his rooms in record time.   
  
Severus took a leisurely morning, enjoying his new freedom of movement. After getting dressed  
he sat down at his desk to catch up on a bit of paper work, he'd fallen behind on his  
correspondence, test markings, teaching papers.  
  
At the top of a moderate pile was a scroll wrapped in a red ribbon. It was obviously the last thing  
to be delivered. He opened the ribbon and unrolled the parchment a small piece of paper fell into  
his lap. He picked it up and read it.  
  
'Special delivery' Was all it said.  
  
He looked at the larger scroll. The Daily Prophet? His eyes scanned the headlines and widened. If  
he had been drinking tea, it would have been all over the desk. "Bloody hell!" He spat and ran  
out of the room.  
  
While many a student could remember the potions masters stalking through the hallways with a  
purposeful pace, not many could remember him sweeping through them in a dead run, with papers  
clutched in his hand.  
  
He entered the great hall just as the swarms of owls descended on the students. Rushing up to  
Dumbledore, he thrust the paper under the older wizard's nose.  
  
Dumbledore's eye's widened, "Oh my." He quickly scanned the rest of the article.  
  
By this point Severus could feel Harry's tension, either he had just seen the article, or one of his  
house mates had. A quick checked showed a very angry looking Harry, an agitated Weasley and  
Granger and table full of very confused Gryffindors. It was a similar scene at the other tables.  
  
"I'm afraid that this goes beyond rumor, Severus, "Albus said, "The article states that the author  
saw the documents at the ministry. Some one must have left them on their desk."  
  
"By accident, or on purpose?" Severus asked.  
  
"That remains to be seen." he paused. "All of our names are mentioned, yours, Harry's, mine in  
capacity of officiator as well as all of the witnesses."  
  
"Damnit, how did this happen?"  
  
"We don't have time to figure that out at the moment." Albus stood up and approached the  
podium, "Would Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy please join me in my  
office. As for the rest of you, read the article very carefully, for once, with the exception of the  
headline, it is surprisingly accurate and tasteful."  
  
"I'm sure that will never happen again." Severus muttered to himself.  
  
Albus turned to Minerva, "You too dear."  
  
The seven of them trudged past questioning stares and out the main doors.  
  
There was a tense silence when they reached the office, they all took seats.  
  
"Well, that was unexpected." Albus began.  
  
"Would it be entirely inappropriate to be immensely grateful that you finally didn't plan my most  
humiliating event of the week?" Severus muttered.  
  
Harry jabbed him in the ribs, "Pr- Sn- Severus, you're doing it again."  
  
Before he could respond, Minerva spoke up. "Mr. Potter, some respe-"  
  
"Minerva," Severus interrupted, "we are not in a classroom at the moment, all things considered,  
he has every right to call me by my given name."  
  
She looked gobsmacked, all in all, not a bad reaction.  
  
"What happens now?" Hermione spoke up.  
  
"Well," The headmaster considered his words carefully, "Severus and Harry have done nothing  
wrong, I say we let it be. Harry, you may tell your house mates whatever you wish, the same for  
the rest of you. Severus you will probably have the most difficulty."  
  
Severus nodded.  
  
Albus continued. "If the rumors and howlers become too much. The both of you will have to  
make some sort of statement."  
  
"Terrific," Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, "the culmination of my life and professional  
career will be a statement to a bunch of vultures who are salivating for any morsel they can glean  
about my personal life and its supposed moral ambiguities."  
  
"Our." Harry corrected.  
  
"Our?"  
  
The younger man quirked an eyebrow, "Our personal life and supposed moral ambiguities. And  
don't tell me you still believe that I not only adore, but seek out the spotlight."  
  
"You don't?"  
  
Harry elbowed him in the ribs again, "Now you're being purposefully obtuse."  
  
Severus let his silence speak for itself.  
  
The quiet was interrupted by the mellow chuckling of Draco Malfoy.  
  
Severus turned to the blonde, young man and raised an eyebrow, "You have something to say,  
Mr. Malfoy.?"  
  
A pale finger pointed to the both of them. "You two You're prefect for each other." The muffled  
sounds turned into full fledged guffaws. "Is so u-utterly re- ridiculous that-" Draco lost it again.  
  
The entire room was now staring at them. "Thank you Draco for that comforting observation."  
  
Draco recovered a bit and continued. "Imagine how grumpy both of you would have been if this  
had never happened. Both of you would have been too stubborn to do anything about it." Ron  
and Hermione both elbowed Draco, but he continued on, "and I'm still willing to bet that in six  
months time, or whatever arbitrary limit the headmaster has told you for the 'attraction' to wear  
off you will both put yourselves through hell with idiotic misconceptions and it will take some  
serious knocks on the head to get it all fixed again."  
  
Since they were both, patently not thinking about that, they changed the subject.  
______  
  
Severus, Albus and Draco entered the room with 5 minutes to spare and sat in a mute tension. At  
exactly 11:00 there was a *pop!* and Lucius Malfoy stood there in all his glory.  
  
Severus noted the differences in his long lost friend. The cane was missing. The clothing, slightly  
less than impeccable. Hair shorn down to a few inches. And most noticeable of all, the ever  
present sneer, that had become a fixture in recent years was nowhere to be found.  
  
"Severus." Lucius breathed in a soft tone.  
  
"Lucius." Severus nodded in acknowledgment.  
  
They stared at each other for some seconds before Lucius' eyes shifted focus, "Draco?"  
  
The blond gave a sharp nod.  
  
Lucius spoke again, "Thank you for hearing me out."  
  
"Why weren't you at the battle?" Severus asked.  
  
Lucius shook his head, "I don't know. All I know is that he asked me to stay behind. It was part  
of some special plan. But as soon as he died..." Lucius' eyes lost focus for a moment, "It was like  
I could think clearly for the first time in 20 years." He looked into Severus' eyes with stark  
emotion, "Oh god, Severus, I'm so sorry."  
  
"What about my mother?" Draco spoke up.  
  
Lucius swallowed thickly, "She fought the aurors."  
  
Draco took to news stoicly.  
  
The occupants of the room were so focused on each that they didn't notice the slight shudder the  
ground had taken on.  
  
It started as a faint tremor, but it soon wound its way up to a full blown shake. The foundation of  
Hogwarts, literally was tearing itself apart. The walls of the room shook under some unseen  
strain. And then, with a soul deep scream, it stopped and Albus Dumbledore fell to his knees.  
  
"Albus?" Severus queried, unsure of what just happened.  
  
"The wards..."the old mans voice sounded strained, "the wards have fallen."  
  
"How did you do it Malfoy?" Cornelius Fudge sneered from the doorway.  
  
Lucius had gone completely white and was shaking his head emphatically. "I... I didn't."  
  
"Of course not." Fudge was edging his way into the room, wand at the ready. Cornelius Fudge  
may be a doddering old fool, but in his prime, before he had succumbed to politics and old age,  
Fudge had been one of the top aurors in the field. Even now, the training program was not  
something Severus could complain about.  
  
He eyed the minister carefully. "Fudge. This is not the time for this, we need to figure out what  
happened before we start waving our wands around." He had a quick flash of double meaning  
before mentally shaking his head. Damn spell.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Fudge continued to inch forward. "We let THAT onto the school grounds and  
the wards fall for the first time in nearly 500 years!"  
  
"He is but one man Cornelius," Albus was beginning to rise from the floor, "and I have been  
watching him carefully," he placed a hand on Fudge's arm, "He did not do it."  
  
Fudge turned to Albus and looked him square in the eye and nodded.  
  
Severus lifted an eyebrow in surprise, Fudge never capitulated this early or this easily, maybe he  
was as big of an idiot as he gave him credit for.  
  
"You're right, Albus, there's no way he could have done it." Fudge reached out and seized the  
hand still resting on his arm, "because I did." In that moment of stunned silence, Fudge's eyes  
flashed red, used his other arm to grasp Albus firmly around the waste and dissapparated.  
  
It was another several seconds before their unseen watchers burst into the room Their entrance  
broke Severus out of his shocked state.  
  
"Minerva," Severus barked, "Go find the other teachers, make sure the school is safe and call the  
aurors. Black, Lupin, go find whoever helped him, he could not have brought the wards down  
alone, they were probably right at the edge of the forest."  
  
"What will you do?" Minerva asked.  
  
He grabbed Harry's arm, "We," he said with grim determination, "will bring back Albus." With  
that, they vanished with a soft *pop*.  
______  
  
When they reappeared, Severus had a hard time seeing through the heavy rain, but several  
hundred yards away he saw blur that had to be Fudge's body struggling with Albus.  
  
"VOLDEMORT!" He let out a primal scream.  
  
The man stopped and turned around, "Ah Severus," The voice had gotten deeper, rougher and  
those red eyes looked behind his shoulder, "..and your lovely bride. How nice. However did you  
find me so quickly?"  
  
Harry bristled behind him, "Don't." he whispered, "he's only trying to make you do something  
rash." he looked at Voldemort, "I went with the theory that taking down the wards took a great  
deal of energy and that apparating with another person can be especially taxing, especially if they  
are quite powerful, and quite unwilling. I assumed you would head in the direction closest to the  
forest. Lo and behold I was right. You always were a poor strategist."  
  
"Tom." Albus' calm voice broke through. "Must we go through this again?"  
  
"Yes," he hissed, "we must."  
  
Severus had been creeping closer, wand in hand, "Expellermus!" The wand that had been at  
Albus' temple flew to his hands."  
  
"Tut. Tut. Severus. Nice try, but despite their disgusting habits, muggles have managed to come  
up with one or two useful items." Voldemort's wands hand produced a large dagger. "Its  
completely unenchanted, and thus ridiculously easy to bring onto the grounds." He put his the arm  
across Albus' chest and rested the blade near his should.  
  
Severus cursed silently, they were woefully unprepared. "What do you want?"  
  
A small insane bit of laughter erupted from behind thick sweaty lips, "What do I want? By now  
you Severus should know very well what I want."  
  
"Very well then," Albus said, his voice as calm as ever, "What do you hope to accomplish here?"  
  
Voldemort let out another little giggle, "Several things, Albus" the name was hissed out, "several  
things." The large beady eyes darted behind Severus for a second, "Do you know how close I am?  
Do you have any idea? Imagine if I had the next 30 years to gain strength, to gain power, to gain  
followers without the likes of YOU," he spat at Albus, "plotting and conniving and working  
against me."  
  
Severus did imagine it. It was a scary thought.  
  
"Now," Voldemort continued, "Imagine those 30 years without you or Harry Potter as well!"  
  
What? There was a startled yelp from behind him, he whirled in time to see the 2 aurors who had  
been following Fudge around, remove Harry's wand from his grasp.  
  
Shit. Why hadn't Albus warned him, not that it would have done much good. He slowly turned  
back around to face Voldemort. "So you're going to kill us then? A bit pedestrian for you, isn't  
it?"  
  
"Sometimes to simple way is the best." The grip on the dagger tightened.   
  
Albus' eyes flashed to his. He was prepared to do something. Just awaiting a signal. All right then.   
He raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, he used three fingers. There was a mental nod  
from Harry, stating that he was ready as well. Slowly he dropped one finger. What spell should he  
use? Stupify was out, too easy for Voldemort to doge. In fact, he KNEW that he could. It had to  
be something dark then. He lowered another finger. He hoped Albus we be able to get away in  
time. As his last finger drop his wand hand shot out, "*CRUCIO!*  
  
Behind him he heard Harry yelling stupify twice, in quick succession. But he didn't turn he was  
too horrified by what was happening in front of him. Albus hadn't moved. Hadn't tried to move.  
And now they both wore identical faces of pain. Albus did not scream out. But Voldemort did.  
  
He didn't dare stop it yet. He needed Voldemort incapacitated long enough to remove Albus from  
his grips before finishing him off. He watched them sink to the ground and fall forward heavily.  
Voldemort was trying to resist, but even he wasn't strong enough.  
  
Suddenly, Albus' head shot up, an indefinable look in his eyes. His body stopped quivering and  
remained perfectly still for a moment and then fell forward, and began spasming with an even  
greater intensity.  
  
Voldemort's eyes rolled up into the back of his head.   
  
Severus ended the curse and watched both men topple to the ground. He ran to them and kicked  
Fudge's body off the headmaster. He raised his wand, "*AVEDA KEDAVRA!*" he spat. The  
body twitched and spasmed and was then still. "*AVEDA KEDAVRA!*" He said again, just to  
be sure. It didn't move. "*Incendio*" He whispered harshly, and then cast a quick containment  
charm and he walked away to let the body burn.  
  
He rushed back to Albus who hadn't moved. Kneeling down, he rolled him over and-  
  
No.  
  
NO!!  
  
The dagger was sticking out of Albus' chest and pool of blood had formed on the wet ground  
beneath him.  
  
No.  
  
This was not the way things happened.  
  
Albus Dumbledore did not die and Severus Snape did not cry. Any deviation in those two  
constants meant utter chaos.  
  
It was not supposed to happen like this. He was supposed to have time, to prepare.  
  
He gently pulled Albus into his lap, "You had no plans to move did you, you crazy old man." he  
took a deep, unsteady breath, "I'm not ready." He choked out.  
  
Eyes opened painfully. "My boy," Albus rasped, "when are we ever?"  
  
"No..." He protested again. "I'll take you back to Hogwarts, to Poppy..."He wasn't supposed to  
be sitting here, in a pool of Albus Dumbledore's blood. In his dreams, this day had never  
happened like this. If anything, they were supposed to be reversed.  
  
"Too late...Severus, my child, you were like a son to me." For the first time ever, Albus sounded  
his age.  
  
Hot pinpricks swept across his eyes. "You can't. I won't let you."  
  
"Even your stubbornness has to know some bounds, my boy."  
  
The first person to accept him, love him unconditionally did not deserve to die on the cold  
ground, surrounded by mud and blood, like a gutter rat. What a horrible parody. "I don't want to  
say good bye." He blinked and felt hot liquid trickle down his face. Impossible. He did not cry.  
  
The old, pale lips twitched upwards. "Then don't."  
  
He pulled to fragile body closer, buried his face in the scraggly beard and repeated, "I don't want  
to say goodbye."  
  
"Severus.... child... look at me..."  
  
He lifted his head. Albus' face swam before him, fuzzy and out of focus. He blinked and more hot  
liquid dripped down. But he did not cry.  
  
"Live your life, be happy, be at peace. That is all I ever wanted for you."  
  
"Thank you for being the only person to understand... to accept me..."  
  
Albus' eyes focuses past his shoulder, "But not the only one... not anymore."  
  
A strong hand fell on his shoulder. Harry. The body in his lap convulsed and a harsh, wet  
coughing sound met his ears.  
  
"Severus... you.... are.... the most.... honorable.... man.... I've ever.... had.... the privilege... to...  
know..."  
  
Harry slid down to his knees and pressed himself against his back.  
  
Albus continued, his voice getting quieter with each word. "Tell Minerva... I would... have  
married... her.... if... she... would... have.... let.... me..."  
  
He watched those sparkling eyes fade. His vision blurred beyond help. He leaned back into the  
strong arms that had wrapped around him and Severus Snape cried.  
  
TBC...  
  
*author is frantically filling out witness protection forms* Don't kill me!! Remember, you kill me  
you don't get to see the end! 


	10. 43

Disclaimers etc. See part 1  
  
Author's notes: Happy Turkey day to my fellow Americans... To the English, hello from the  
Colonies, aren't you glad you got rid of us? To the rest, hope you had a good Thursday.  
  
This starts the closure. I'm guestimating about... 3ish more chapters plus Epilogue. I'm going to  
tighten down the rest of the outline and then I'll know for sure. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
  
Part 43  
  
They sat there for endless minutes, a strange picture of sorrow. Three bodies, one unnaturally  
still, the others shaking in grief.  
  
The storm had lessened to a drizzle, it was as if the very sky itself was grieving with them. In the  
sudden silence the end of the battle had brought, a small sound came to them, the movement of air  
could be heard. The flapping of wings. And then, a bright spectrum perched on his shoulder.  
Fawkes.  
  
Fawkes!  
  
He turned, muscles stiff in protest and with bleary, puffy eyes examined the bird. "Fawkes..." his  
grief roughened voice spoke, "Fawkes, please..." he couldn't get the words out, his lips felt too  
clumsy. Harry's hands absently rubbed small circles into his back and he found strength again, "Its  
not too late. Please..."  
  
The phoenix looked at him, looked him in the eyes and an over whelming sense of 'No.' pervaded  
his senses. "Why...?" he asked.  
  
A voice, full of warmth and compassion and love spoke to him. "Because he does not wish it."  
  
He blinked, but the voice was gone leaving him with nothing but a blinking avian. He shared eye  
contact with it for a few more moments before it leaned forward and brushed against him. Beak  
against cheek in strange gesture of comfort.  
  
Fawkes left his shoulder and went to his fallen master, the bird looked incredibly sad. Again, it  
leaned forward in that same gesture of comfort, and spread his wings in a close approximation of  
a hug. Then, with as little fanfare as he had ever seen come from the phoenix, he disintegrated  
into a pile of ashes.  
  
They both sat there, staring, wide eyed at the remains. Until it moved.  
  
A small golden beak appeared, followed by glossy black feathers with golden highlights. She, and  
Severus knew without a doubt it was now a she, spread her wings and once again settled onto his  
shoulder.  
  
"What now?" Harry asked, his voice laced with wonder and rough with emotion.  
  
Severus removed his cloak and wrapped it carefully around the fallen headmaster's body. "We  
bring Albus back." He answered with grim determination.  
  
Harry nodded and moved away to give Severus room to work. He gently brushed away the ashes  
and with the utmost care he cradled the body to him and stood on shaky legs. Then carefully he  
began the slow trek back to the main doors of Hogwarts.  
  
Harry walked next to him offering what support he could.  
  
A figure was waiting was waiting for them at the threshold, Minerva. "Severus, what-" She  
gasped, finally understanding what his burden was. "Oh no..." she turned her head slightly and  
yelled, "Poppy!"  
  
He shook his head, "That won't be necessary, Minerva. Please clear the hallways."  
  
She nodded and called the other teachers and had them check the hallways on the way to the  
infirmary.  
  
Once he arrived in the infirmary he laid his burden down on an empty bed. Harry and Severus  
arranged him carefully and slowly pulled the sheet over his head.  
  
Gradually, they became aware of their surroundings. Draco was in the infirmary, sitting next to a  
bed on the other side of the ward looking at them with a deep sadness.  
  
"Draco?" he asked.  
  
The young man gestured to the bed next to him, "They poisoned him."  
  
Harry and Severus moved closer.  
  
"Madame Pomphrey thinks it was something he took days, maybe weeks ago that was waiting for  
some sort of trigger."  
  
There were poisons that could remain distilled indefinitely until someone released them. It could  
be charmed into mixing within a human body. Poisons like that could lay dormant for months.  
  
The still, familiar form on the bed froze him. Lucius. Dead. Lucius was dead. Gone was every  
chance he ever had to find some peace with his past. A reunion, a conversation that was 20 years  
overdue, would never happen. Fawkes nuzzled his cheek and Harry placed a hand on his arm.  
  
Draco looked at his father and murmured, "I'm an orphan for the second time in under a week."  
  
"Draco." Severus placed what he hoped was a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder,  
"Go find Ron and Hermione."  
  
Familiar blue-grey eyes looked at him in surprise, "Yes sir."  
  
Draco was gone and they were left alone. Harry carefully prodded him to turn around and pulled  
him in for a hug. Their new height difference made it easier. Their chins now rested on each  
other's shoulders and their arms easily found purchase.  
  
Poppy found them in exactly that position a few minutes later.  
  
"Well, now that the secret out you two don't seem to be concerned with hiding it."  
  
"Shut up." They both answered her.  
  
She made shooing motions with her hands. "Out, both of you, I need to make sure there are not  
lingering surprises on both of them."  
  
Severus nodded in understanding. Just as they were leaving she called after them, "Minerva needs  
helps, she's in no condition to lead alone."  
  
Severus nodded again and they left.  
______  
  
They found Minerva in her office, talking to a floating head from the Ministry.  
  
"I don't know what happened!" she yelled, "I wasn't there! The H- headmaster is dead and I'm  
assuming Fudge is as well. The wards are completely down, we need protection now!" Minerva  
was at her finest, but it was obvious she was having difficulty keeping it together.  
  
"I'm sorry," the floating head said, "but we cann-"  
  
Severus gently pushed Minerva aside, "Now listen to me, you pompous little windbag! We. Are.  
Defenseless. The wards are down and there are not enough wizards of sufficient power to raise  
them again and remain upright afterwards to run the school! You will send Aurors who are skilled  
in spell sharing immediately and you will post guards around the perimeter of the castle! You will  
also refrain from telling any of this to any reporters. And you will do it NOW!" The last word had  
practically been roared.  
  
"Y-yes sir." the bureaucrat stammered.  
  
The connected ended and Minerva's shoulders slumped. "Thank you, Severus."  
  
"Don't thank me, I always enjoy a good yell."  
  
Harry snorted, "Well that explains a lot."  
  
Severus jumped, he had almost forgotten that the young man had been by his side, he had been so  
quiet. Physically and mentally. "Yes, well, I needed to find he bright side to the monotony of  
teaching brainless children who care more for an idiotic game than something that could one day  
save their lives."  
  
Harry blinked, "You've been wanting to say that to me forever, haven't you?"  
  
Severus just blinked for several seconds before returning to Minerva's side. He could feel Harry's  
amusement at his non-answer. He turned his attention to the woman in front of him, "We need to  
address the school. Assess the damage, take a head count, plan the next few days."  
  
She nodded slowly. "I know. Just sometimes, I remember and I have to... I can't..."  
  
He stepped in front of her and gently took her into his arms, "I know. But we must."  
  
"Yes," she nodded, "We must."  
  
"Start the rest if the staff checking for damage, Black and Lupin should keep a lookout for the  
aurors. It will probably take them a while to realize that they can apparate directly here.  
Bureaucrats are notoriously narrow minded when it come to these things."  
  
Minerva chuckled a bit.  
  
"The three of us will check on the students. After, we'll make plans to reinstate the wards." He  
concluded.  
  
With a tentative list of things to do, they left.  
______  
  
Draco stood in front of the fat lady for a good 5 minutes before uttering the password he had only  
learned the day before. The portrait looked at him funny, but opened up anyway.  
  
Stepping inside he looked around. There were Gryffindors littered everywhere. They all seemed  
to look up as one. He stood there, tense, waiting for some sort of confrontation.  
  
A blonde one, Creevey, stepped up. Draco stiffened. They stared at each other a bit.  
  
"They're upstairs." Collin said. "You know they way." With that he turned and went back to  
doing whatever they had been doing.  
  
He stood there in a slight shock for a few more seconds. Seamus spoke up, "We took a vote.  
We're more afraid of Hermione than we are of you." Then, as one, all of Gryffindor went back to  
what they had been doing and started studiously ignoring him.  
  
Blink. Well that had been interesting. With a shrug he went up the stairs.  
  
Hermione answered the door with a worried look on her face. "Draco." she breathed. "You're  
ok?"  
  
"Define ok."  
  
She practically dragged him inside and enveloped him in a hug. A warmth molded to him from  
behind. Ron.  
  
He took comfort in the two warm bodies pressed against him. Surprisingly he didn't feel  
prompted to push the intimacy any further. In fact, their current position felt more intimate than  
most of their time in bed. "Could we just..." he wasn't sure what he was asking, what he wanted.  
Hermione pulled away a bit and he felt cold. Too cold. "Wait. Can we stay like this? Just laying  
down?"  
  
Moist lips ghosted over the back of his neck. "Sure." Ron answered.  
  
"Just laying down?" He felt more unsure of himself now than when he had faced his father.  
  
"Just laying down." The red head confirmed.  
  
As he was being led to the bedroom he got the unshakeable feeling that everything was going to  
be alright.  
______  
  
Checking the dorms had been relatively easy. It seemed as if the only operatives that Voldemort  
had managed to get inside Hogwarts were the ones he brought with him. All of the students had  
been quickly rounded up and sealed in their towers. Head counts had remained at the same levels  
as they had been before the attacks. They were all thankful for that. Any more tragic news might  
have been too much.  
  
Black and Lupin had apparated 3 very confused looking aurors into Minerva's office. At their  
confused faces Severus said, "Didn't they tell you anything?"  
  
They just shook their heads.  
  
Oh good. No sense in making this any easier. "How many others are there?"  
  
Black spoke, "Enough to adequately cover the castle. Barely." He looked annoyed. It was  
probably the bare minimum needed.  
  
"Then let's get this done." Severus turned to Minerva, "Do you have the list?"  
  
She nodded and produced a slip of parchment, "I wrote them down, in order. I'm glad A-" she  
stopped a moment, her voice catching, "I'm glad be made me memorize them."  
  
He took the parchment without comment and scanned it quickly. He turned to the aurors. "I  
assume you are well versed in spell sharing?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Minerva, would you call Filius and have him meet us in the headmaster's office?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
He turned to Black and Lupin, "Watch those Aurors. Carefully."  
  
Orders given, they dispersed.  
  
The short, stout charms professor met them at the entrance to the office. He had a serious look on  
his face.  
  
"The wards?" Flitwick asked.  
  
"The wards." Severus answered.  
  
They all trudged up the stairs. The headmaster's office was at, what one might call, the magical  
apex of the castle. It was almost like a magnifying glass for spells. It also allowed castle wide  
spells to be performed without having to evenly distribute the casters outside the castle. It was  
often a useful trait.  
  
Minerva, Severus and Filius formed a circle in the center of the room. Each auror stood behind  
them.  
  
"Harry," Severus called, "Stand next to me." He turned to Minerva, "Traditionally you would be  
the anchor, as you are most probably the next headmistress, but we do not have the luxury to wait  
for you to recover. I suggest that Harry and most probably by extension me be the anchors, only  
temporarily." He hastened to add.  
  
Minerva gave a weary shake, "No Severus, even if they offered it to me, I could not take the  
position. I understand your reasoning and I am not offended." She turned to the younger man  
standing by his side, "Harry, you do understand what Severus wants to do."  
  
Harry considered the question carefully before answering, "Intellectually, I think I do. But I'll  
probably find that once you do it, I wasn't prepared at all. But that's nothing new. I want to help  
and if that means I get to be put under some powerful, all encompassing spell, that is more than  
likely to be incredibly overwhelming, why not?."  
  
She smiled fondly at him, "Then stand in the center."  
  
For magic this powerful, involving this many people a circle needed to be invoked, to not only  
contain it but to help focus it. Once that was done, the aurors said a simple incantation that would  
allow their the wizards to 'share' the spell with them. Then with wands raised the three professors  
began. It was a complex layering process, one protection after another was laid down, with Harry  
at the center of it all.  
  
The final spell, a binding of sorts, the glue that held it all together sent a warm glow up the stone  
walls, the castle suddenly felt alive again. Normal and whole. Harry on the other hand looked  
deathly white and ready to collapse. The rest of them didn't look much better but at least they  
would probably recover in a few minutes.  
  
The aurors were instructed to head down to the medical wing and Severus carefully guided Harry  
to a large comfortable chair.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked.  
  
Harry's eyes were closed. But he answered anyway, "I don't know. Its very... indescribable."  
  
Severus nodded. He had felt a small wash of what Harry must be feeling.  
  
The young man continued, "I feel... so week, but powerful. The castle... its talking to me, almost  
getting to know me."  
  
"Let it." Severus told him. "Its probably easier."  
  
Harry nodded and relaxed back into the chair.  
  
Minerva and Filius were whispering in the corner, he walked up to them.  
  
"We both have many things to take care of, announcements and other... plans can wait while he  
recovers. I'll make sure you two aren't disturbed." Minerva said to him before ushering Filius out.  
  
He stared at the closed door for a few moments more before returning to Harry. In those few  
seconds he had fallen asleep, he carefully moved the sleeping man over and sat down beside him.  
Gathering Harry into his arms, he felt the exhaustion of the day seeping into him. The exertion in  
the last 2 hours had been enormous. His eyes became heavy and he slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
TBC...  
  
I thought I'd stop there and let you guys digest that. Please feed the author. 


	11. 44

Disclaimers etc... See part 1  
  
Author's note: I'm glad that Snapeslash finally has an official archive, but please do not archive  
this fic. I plan on editing it heavily once I'm done. I'll archive it myself once I get there.  
  
I foresee at least one more chapter before the epilogue. Maybe two. Yowza.  
  
For those who wish to catch up: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=887404  
  
and for those who like to see my ramblings: http://amireal.livejournal.com  
  
  
Part 44  
  
He woke up feeling much like he had the last several days, tired, sore and not in the mood to  
move. Harry stirred briefly in his arms before settling back down again. A quick glance at the  
clock on the wall told him that they had been there for the better part of 5 hours and felt more  
tired that when he had fallen asleep. Considering the stresses his body and mind had been put  
through, he shouldn't be surprised.  
  
There was a soft knock coming from the door. Gently disentangling himself from Harry he stood  
up and winced at protesting muscles. Younger than he was, but still not young enough to sleep  
for 5 hours on a couch.  
  
He opened the door to greet a tired looking Minerva. "Severus, may I come in?"  
  
He stepped aside, "It is not my domain to dictate over."  
  
She entered, giving a tired chuckle, "If its anyone's right, its Harry's."  
  
He motioned for them to go to the far side of the office, on the other side of the room from the  
young man sleeping on the couch. "Please, continue to remind me of how completely complicated  
and impossible this situation is."  
  
Minerva gave him a stern look. "Do not remind me of the complexities of the situation, I have  
spent the last 5 hours thinking about them while you were relaxing in here!"  
  
He put a hand up to forestall any more arguments, "I'm sorry. It has been horrible day for us all."  
  
She blinked. "Well, it's nice to see he's been a good influence on you."  
  
He raised an eyebrow in question.  
  
"Manners, Severus. You're starting to have manners."  
  
"However will I survive?"  
  
They shared a moment of companionable silence before she spoke once more, "The horrible day is  
not over, Severus. The children do not know."  
  
He started, "You didn't tell them?"  
  
Minerva removed her glasses and rubbed her temples, "I have not been avoiding it, there simply...  
wasn't time. I didn't want to let the students out of their dormitories until we were sure it was  
safe and then, by that point, it was almost time for supper anyway." She stopped for a moment  
and put her glasses back on, "I figured if we let them all out at once, they could eat and then we  
could..." She trailed off unable to continue.  
  
He nodded in agreement, "And they will all be in one place..." He followed her reasoning. "And  
I'd rather have a few children vomiting than an entire school unfed."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Have you told Poppy to expect some sick students?" He asked, his mind already sorting out all  
the problems the evening would bring. " I will have to bring Harry down. The students will feel  
better seeing him."  
  
She looked in Harry's direction, "Will he be up to it?"  
  
He shrugged, "He needs to eat. I'll help him. Make sure there is a place at the head table. Might  
as well make this a show everyone can see."  
  
A quiet voiced called from the couch, "Severus? Professor?"  
  
They walked to the other side of the room, Severus knelt next to Harry, "Yes?"  
  
Still not opening his eyes Harry spoke, "Oh good, I'm not hearing voices... well more voices."  
  
Minerva and Severus shared a look before he spoke, "How are you feeling?"  
  
Tired eyelids made an effort to rise. Harry was still ashen, dark smudges marring the skin under  
his eyes. Eventually tired, green eyes peered up at them. "Not sure." A slow blink. "Did the castle  
always have a personality? Or is this a new thing?"  
  
"Not new." Severus answered, "You're just more aware of it."  
  
Harry closed his eyes again, "Oh good. Not insane."  
  
"Who said that?" Severus asked.  
  
Keeping his eyes closed, "Fine. More insane."  
  
Severus chuckled, "Did you see that Minerva, he said I was right."  
  
"Did not." Harry protested.  
  
Severus shrugged, "Implicit, explicit, its all the same," he turned to Minerva, "I always said we  
should offer the more basic courses, such as grammar and literature. There were would be far  
fewer communication problems."  
  
"Snob." Harry's quiet voice accused.  
  
"Have I ever denied it?" Severus asked. The expected smart comeback from Harry was absent.  
"Harry?"  
  
"I'm here, sorry, it's just distracting."  
  
"Harry," Minerva spoke up, "Did you hear what we were talking about?"  
  
"Something about dinner?"  
  
"That's correct." Severus answered. "We want you to eat dinner in the Great Hall."  
  
Harry made an effort to open his eyes again, "Why?"  
  
"I want them to know you're alive." Severus pursed his lips, adding, "When we make the  
announcement."  
  
"I understand." Harry struggled to sit up, "You're going to have to help me."  
  
Severus gently pushed the young man back down, "Not now, we have a bit more time, gather  
your strength."  
  
Harry nodded and relaxed into the sofa, going still.  
  
He gestured for Minerva to follow back to the other side of the room. Once there he hesitated a  
moment, "Minerva... I... he asked... he expressed a sentiment to me before he..." Severus looked  
at Minerva and saw a strong women trying desperately to remain in control.  
  
"Yes?" Her rough voice asked.  
  
There was no delicate way to say it, "He would have married you." he simply stated.  
  
Her hand went to her mouth and she made a small sound of surprise and sorrow, "Oh Severus. I...  
I don't know what's wrong with me." Her breathing hitched.  
  
"Nothing is wrong, you are a fierce, proud woman who has had a tremendous loss. You are  
allowed to grieve." He took her gently into his arms. "I know you want to be strong, just  
remember that there are things to do and that you will feel infinitely better falling apart when they  
are all done."  
  
"When did you get to be so wise?"  
  
"It runs in the family."  
  
She pulled back to look at him, "Family?"  
  
His lips twitched upwards, "You would have been my great aunt."  
  
She looked so startled that Severus thought she might topple over and then suddenly she let loose  
a beaming smile, he momentarily thought she'd lost it.  
  
"Oh Severus, that actually makes me feel better."  
  
Yes. Definitely lost it. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Just the thought that he's not all gone. Something of him, however small still lives." She wiped  
away an errant tear.  
  
He shook his head in resignation, "Gryffindors."  
______  
  
Severus later reflected that it must have been an odd sight that greeted the students of the main  
hall that looked up to see the back door opening. Harry was leaning heavily on him for support as  
they made their way slowly to the head table. The room slowly quieted as student by student, year  
by year, table by table noticed their entrance.  
  
There were two empty places, Severus noted that they were closer to the middle than normal, but  
then, he had asked for a show. Must make sure everyone can see them.  
  
They sat down and he watched Harry, slowly and carefully take food onto his plate. He leaned  
over and quietly said, "Tell me if you need something."  
  
Tired eyes looked at him, "I didn't know you cared."  
  
"I don't, I just don't want you to drown in your mashed potatoes."  
  
Harry smirked, "Yeah, yeah and I suppose your new and improved back still can't take the strain  
of carrying me back to bed?"  
  
He quirked an eyebrow, "Who says I'd save you?"  
  
Harry's eyes locked with his and a flash of their indiscretion from the hospital room appeared  
before his eyes. The ridiculous nonsense that he'd uttered in what was a futile attempt to dissuade  
Harry from kissing him again.  
  
"Just," his suddenly dry voice cracked, "Just eat your food."  
  
Eventually the students returned their attention to the plates in front of them and the volume level  
returned to normal.  
  
The time loomed closer and Severus found himself wishing he was back in his rooms avoiding it  
all. This was not an announcement he wanted to hear, let alone take part in.  
  
Eventually Minerva stood up and asked for attention, it took less time than normal. Children had  
amazing intuition, especially when it came to adults keeping secrets.  
  
"Children, thank you for your attention." She swallowed thickly, "As many of you may have  
noticed, something unusual happened this afternoon. I'm going to be honest with you, because it  
is simply what you deserve." She took a deep breath, "Voldemort attempted one final attack."  
She paused to allow the students gasps of surprise pass, "As for him, we are certain this time that  
he is gone. But there are other things I must tell you. In the course of defeating Voldemort, your  
headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, sacrificed himself to save you." There were loud cries of disbelief  
that echoed through the hall. She continued on, "Professor Snape and Mr. Potter were the last  
ones to see him alive and I have asked Professor Snape to share a few words with you."  
  
He stood up and began speaking through the sudden lump in his throat, "First, I would like to  
assure you that Mr. Potter is in perfect health, he is simply recovering from a very taxing day."  
There was a small sigh of relief that could be heard over the sniffling of the student body, "Albus  
Dumbledore cared more for this school and its inhabitant than I ever thought possible, a few  
hours ago he proved his dedication to the protection of this school by simply not allowing  
Voldemort to use him as a hostage." The room had gone silent in the wake of his words, "I know  
that many of you do not like me, that I am the least favored teacher here and that there are," he  
paused, momentarily unsure of the word to use, "stories," he finally decided, "currently working  
its way through the rumor mill, so I do not know with what grain of salt you will take this, but..."  
he trailed off for a moment, lost in thought, "But, to his dying breath he made every effort to  
comfort me. Trying to make me feel better about his death and I cannot possibly explain better  
than that how badly I will miss him. How badly we will all miss him." He stopped talking and sat  
back down again.  
  
A strange stillness permeated the crowd. Deep, quivering breaths could be heard coming from all  
sides. The students looked devastated.  
  
Next to him, Harry was making an effort to stand up, "Help me."  
  
Severus hooked an arm under his shoulders and took Harry's weight onto him. A placed a hand  
on Harry's throat and whispered, "*sonorous*"  
  
"Excuse me." Harry's trembling voice echoed through the great room. The students, once again,  
silenced themselves. "I... I don't know what to say really."Harry wavered a bit "I always thought  
it would be me. The one who lived finally dying, 17 years over due. He wouldn't let that happen.  
That was why Voldemort was here, me. It was always why he was here. He saved my life and I  
don't think I will ever fully grasp the meaning of that." He waved his hand and the banners of  
Hogwarts turned black. Harry turned to him, "Can we go now?"  
  
Of course, the whole hall heard it, but they said nothing. He removed the charm and led Harry out  
of the room.  
______  
  
  
By unspoken agreement they headed back the headmaster's office, by pure technicality it was  
Harry's anyway. Why not use it?  
  
They settled back down on the Sofa.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Severus asked.  
  
"Um.." Harry sluggishly repositioned himself, "Like I suddenly understand half of what Albus was  
really saying." tired eyes turned to him, "Did you know he really DID have a word with the castle  
about cooperating with us?"  
  
"Somehow," Severus answered, "I didn't doubt it."  
  
Harry continued to struggle to find a comfortable position, Severus leaned back and swung his  
legs onto the couch, he then pulled Harry up and between them, leaving Harry's torso on top of  
him, "Better?"  
  
Harry nodded, "Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"I thought we'd established that you would ask me weather I wanted you to or not."  
  
"True." Harry stopped speaking for a moment, considering his words, "I've been thinking."  
  
"Always a bad sign."  
  
"Hush," Harry admonished, "I was thinking, since that night when we... well when we finally did  
what the spell wanted I've been much more clear headed. Things started coming together and  
began to stand out."  
  
Severus rolled his eyes, "Just spit it out, Harry."  
  
"Why are you being so nice?"  
  
He sighed. A damn good question. One he'd been thinking about as well. "There are several  
reasons. The most prominent however is... the spell itself I believe."  
  
Harry tensed up, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, things like this have a way of... acting in self-preservation." Severus fumbled for words,  
unsure of what he was talking about, "It wants to live, because it knows the alternative..."  
  
"The alternative is what?" Harry prompted.  
  
"Insanity." He answered., the word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. "Without completion, we  
most likely would have eventually lost our minds."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Quite." Severus debated for a few moments before continuing. "Also. Malice requires a great  
deal of energy. Energy which I simply do not have."  
  
"What about sarcasm, how much energy does that take?"  
  
"I will always have the energy for that."  
______  
  
While Harry lounged, semi-conscious on the sofa in the headmaster's office, several meetings  
took place. Arrangements for now parentless students, a new semester schedule needed to be  
made, the board of governors had to schedule a special meeting, funeral arrangements needed to  
be made and as much as Severus hated to admit it, a press conference needed to be held.  
  
The first of many tasks to be scheduled was the issue of Draco Malfoy's guardianship. Severus  
summoned him to the office.  
  
"You asked to see me sir?" Draco sat down in the chair opposite him.  
  
"Yes, Draco. The staff and I have been busy trying to find everything that needs to be done in the  
wake of... recent events." Severus looked at the blonde carefully before continuing, "You are  
aware that you are three months shy of your 18th birthday?"  
  
The blonde nodded. "Yes sir."  
  
"And that you have been left without a legal guardian?"  
  
A rueful smile, "It had crossed my mind."  
  
Severus nodded in approval, "The ministry has given me permission to take on that role until you  
come of age, we decided it would be the easiest thing to do."  
  
Draco nodded. A small sound from the corner alerted him to Harry's presence in the room. "You  
have something to say about this?"  
  
Harry sleep muffled voice spoke up, "No. Nothing, we discussed it and I had no problems with  
it... its just. I was thinking about it... and well..." He seemed to be racked with spasms.  
  
"What, Potter?"  
  
A mirthful look appeared on the young man's face, "Does this make me your step-father?"  
  
A look of such horror came over Draco's face that Severus could not think of anything else to do  
but laugh. Loudly. With great gusto. It could almost be called a guffaw.  
  
Draco turned and glared at him, "You're not helping."  
  
Severus regained control of himself and said, "I am finding that a world seen from the  
technicalities is an interesting world indeed."  
  
Draco was looking at him strangely, "Sir, you're starting to sound like him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Professor Dumbledore."  
  
That stopped his cheer cold.  
______  
  
Because of the delay it would take to schedule the funeral, simply because it would probably be  
the most attended event in 150 years, Albus' personal papers, his last messages, as wizards often  
left them, were distributed accordingly.  
  
There was one however, was marked to be shown to all of Hogwarts, as a whole. He and  
Minerva thought it might be better to show it sooner rather than later.  
  
The next morning, at breakfast, Minerva got up to make a short announcement, telling the  
students of what they were about to see.  
  
She opened the envelope and warm sparks flew into the air slow cascading down and creating an  
image. Albus Dumbledore stood before the masses in all his twinkling glory and it was a most  
painful image to behold. But the dagger cut deeper as he began to speak.  
  
"If you are watching this message then I am most likely dead." the image began, "I am sorry, my  
children that this is the last message that you will ever receive from me, because this was made in  
the event that my demise was caused by Voldemort or the like. It pains me just as much to make  
this as it is for you to listen, but please bear with me until I am finished. I do not often take the  
time for grand speeches and preaching my views of the world, but I believe I may have earned it."  
  
That earned a few sad chuckled from the crowd.  
  
"My children, you have had the misfortune of growing up in troubled times. Times filled with hate  
and anger and violence and death. Those are not things I would wish upon anyone, even those I  
hated.  
  
"There is much prejudice in the world today, based on blood, based on money, based on magic,  
and even... based on the four houses of Hogwarts. I find that I must remind you that they are  
simply that, houses. Built to put like minds together, in a hope that you will find it easier to fit in,  
make friends. That you would come together and understand what working as a team really  
meant.   
  
"The house cup was a means to an end. Winning it meant more than having the most points. It  
meant that you understood how you to get those points and keep them. I'm not talking about  
behavior, because rarely was there an instance where behavior truly came into play enough to  
ensure, or destroy a house's chances for victory.  
  
"I would like to attempt to dispel the worst prejudice of them all. The Slytherin house. A noble  
house, with a long and fine tradition. At least, that is what it was known as when I attended this  
school so many years ago.  
  
"Yes, it is true, Voldemort, Tom Riddle, was sorted into Slytherin, but that has little to do with  
what he became, with perhaps the exception of how he did it. I would remind you that children  
are eleven years old when they are sorted. Eleven year olds can often be mean, cruel and perhaps  
a bit vindictive, but that can apply to ALL eleven year olds, whether they are Hufflepuff,  
Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Slytherin. But evil? There are very few truly evil children. Evilness  
takes time to fester to grow, it becomes a part of you, it sinks in and takes hold with claws so  
tight that it is almost impossible to escape.  
  
"Ravenclaws are smart and intelligent. Hufflepuffs are loyal and true. Gryffindors are brave  
beyond common sense and Slytherins are clever and sly. They are our spies, our intelligence  
gatherers. They are our secret keepers and our most favored allies, because they are the planners,  
the strategizers.  
  
"As I mentioned, I too, once attended this wonderful institution as a student. I too was called to  
sit upon an old wooden chair in front of everyone and have the sorting hat placed upon my head. I  
too was judged for the qualities of my personality and was placed in a house. A house that I  
cherish to this very day. A house that I hope will understand my actions, just as I hope the rest of  
you will. A house that I call Slytherin, my home."  
  
Severus' head shot up at the last statement, unsure if the visage of the man he had come to know  
as the master secret holder had really just said that, but the astonished looks of the students  
confirmed it, as well Harry's gasp.  
  
It seems that Albus Dumbledore had once more managed to shock them all.  
  
TBC...  
  
*hands out hankies*  
  
Please feed the author. 


	12. 45

Disclaimers etc, see part 1  
  
Merry Whatever!  
  
Author's notes: Ok folks.. I believe this is the last one. Next up is the epilogue. Which will  
probably be in 2 pieces since there's so much to wrap up. See you then.  
  
Part 45  
  
Severus Snape was wrecked. No. He was sick. Horribly, terrible, gut wrenchingly, nauseatingly  
sick. To the point where he actually rolled out of bed and began walking with a brisk pace  
towards the bathroom. Around three paces later, he stepped it up to a brisk jog, followed shortly  
by a dead run.  
  
He had a scant few seconds to appreciate the plush throw rug with the always-dry charm that  
shielded his bare legs from the cold tile floor. Those few seconds, however, ended as he became  
intimately acquainted with the inside of his toilet bowl.  
  
Between the excursions his stomach kept trying to take through his esophagus he noted that it  
was a very nice toilet. The color evenly covered the base and did not fade in spots. It was also  
well maintained and very clean looking, at least it had been when he first got there. He was in the  
middle of thinking up a good reward for the house elves when his stomach decided to take  
another tour.  
  
Harry appeared somewhere in the middle, but he was too busy trying to aim in the correct general  
direction that he couldn't be sure as to when he had actually arrived. A cold wash cloth was  
applied to the back of his neck, it was oddly calming. And the new sensation distracted him from  
his churning belly. He leaned back into a warm embrace and Harry shifted the cloth to rest on his  
temple.  
  
A glass was held to his lips, "Sip." Said a quiet voice. "Just wash the taste out, spit into the  
toilet."  
  
He weakly did as he was told, glad to remove the acid taste from the back of his throat. They sat  
there for a few minutes... just breathing deeply, silently thanking the person who invented the  
smell-be-gone charm for toilets.  
  
"Stomach calmer?" Harry asked.  
  
He nodded mutely.  
  
"Good." he raised the cup back to Severus' lips. "Sip, this time you can swallow."  
  
He did just that. Taking shallow bits of water into his mouth, savoring the cool, flavorless liquid  
as it slid down his abused system.  
  
He wasn't sure how it happened, the annoying whelp must have taken advantage of his weakened  
state. But someone he found himself, once again, at Poppy's not so tender mercies. She poked  
and prodded and asked numerous invasive questions that if he didn't answer Harry would simply  
speak up. Damned spell.  
  
An hour later, feeling throughly violated in more ways than he had in years, Poppy abruptly left  
them alone to contemplate the stark white walls of the infirmary. They had fallen into an  
uncharacteristically tense silence. Well, only so far as that this one was, for once, not sexually  
charged. He was too damn tired for that.  
  
Poppy returned a few minutes later with a bottle, which was shoved unceremoniously into his  
hands with a terse, "Drink."  
  
He did, without question, another testament to how bad he must have been feeling. Immediately  
he felt the affects, more energy, the last of the nausea gone, various parts of his body that had  
been complaining stopped.  
  
"What was wrong?" Asked Harry.  
  
Poppy just shook her head and tsked. "I told Albus this could happen."  
  
A bit of anxiety started in his stomach and gave way to a feeling of absolute dread. He had an  
inkling of what Poppy might be referring to; he himself had had similar ideas, but had dismissed  
them out of hand as ridiculous and highly improbable.  
  
"Just tell me, woman." He finally ground out.  
  
She appeared to think about how to say it and his hopes for an overactive imagination were  
sinking lower and lower. "Well Severus... It seems... It seems that you're pregnant."  
  
"WHAT?!" Harry practically shrieked. "But... but... that's not possible! How is that possible!"  
  
"Yes," he seethed, "And while you're explaining that, please go on tell us why you saw fit to not  
inform us of ALL of the possible consequences?"  
  
Poppy wasn't afraid of him, she looked him squarely in the eye and answered, "We thought it was  
such a remote possibility that it wasn't even worth discussing."  
  
"Not worth discussion?" Quiet rage moved on to loud anger, "And how often does the nearly  
impossible happen in this infernal castle on a daily basis?! Not to mention the daft idea that *if* it  
*did* happen that I would WANT to carry a child to term!" He was just getting started when the  
black spots appeared before his eyes. The world swam and went black...  
  
...only to come alive again with 2 sharp screams, dark rooms, tangles, sweat soaked sheets, and a  
second harshly panting body next to his.  
  
A dream??  
  
A BLOODY dream??  
  
More like a bloody nightmare!  
  
"Stop thinking so loud." Harry muttered next to him, "and I agree."  
  
Severus sighed and covered his face with his hands, "Oh don't tell me, you had the dream too."  
  
"Yup. Right there with you from morning sickness to Poppy's wonderful announcement."  
  
He pinched the bridge of his nose, "My life is steadily becoming the stuff of torture chambers."  
  
Harry smacked him in the ribs, "Would you stop acting like this is the only affecting you."  
  
Not bothering to open his eyes, he asked, "Please enlighten me as to your hardship."  
  
"Well, there's the same loss of privacy, loss off control, loss of choice, having been manipulated  
by the loveable old coot. Also, while your dreams are pretty damned weird, mine are going to be a  
site more... unseemly."  
  
He propped himself up on his elbows, "Potter, what on earth happened to your vocabulary?"  
  
Harry tapped him on the nose, "What did I tell you about using my last name in bed?"  
  
Severus rolled his eyes.  
  
"So what was that about, anyway?" Harry asked, obviously referring to the dream.  
  
"We're married," he almost avoided the involuntary shudder, "and quite unexpectedly it only  
makes sense that the mind would supply even more ungainly surprises in a related thread and  
throw them at us." He let his arms straighten again and he slid back down to the bed with a sigh.  
  
"You're sad." Harry murmured in surprise.  
  
"Not sad." He protested.  
  
"Fine then, melancholy." Harry traced his fingers lightly down Severus' arm. "Why?"  
  
"Even if I did not want it, the thought of creating a life, is not a wholly unappealing one." He  
answered, knowing that Harry would simply drag it out of him if he kept avoiding the issue.  
"Someone to be proud of, to raise and teach what I deem is important from the start."  
  
"To love you unconditionally." Harry whispered.  
  
"Don't be foolish." He spat.  
  
Harry reached across him and planted soft pliant lips against his own.  
  
Involuntarily he responded, dragging the younger body across himself. They broke apart breathing  
rapidly, "It's a nice thought, a romanticized notion. I said it would be nice, I never said I actually  
*wanted* the little brats. Now that I know the situation wasn't real I can value its, barely  
recognizable, merits. I'd like to think that my supposed children wouldn't be as loathsome as the  
ones that appear in my potions class on a regular basis."  
  
This time Harry rolled his eyes and dove back in for another kiss. They continued in that fashion  
for a few minutes before Severus firmly pushed Harry away. "We will not submit to our  
hormones."  
  
Harry gave him a look.  
  
An exasperated sigh. "Yet."  
  
Harry smirked.  
  
"How are you fairing with the Castle?" He said, ignoring Harry.  
  
Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, "Better. I'm not exhausted anymore." He thrust his hip at  
him as proof.  
  
Severus' eyes briefly rolled to the back of his head before regaining his equilibrium. "Have you  
noticed anything unusual?"  
  
Harry settled himself more firmly against him and answered, "Other than knowing the shortest  
route from here to the other side of the castle and the faint feeling that it finds the antics of its  
inhabitants amusing, no." He began exploring the skin of Severus' neck.  
  
It was getting harder to concentrate. "I...*aah*... noticed that... *ooh*" his eyes rolled up into his  
head again, "..stop that..." he hissed. "I noticed that we're not feeling each other's experiences as  
intensely. If my reaction to you being hit with a bludger was any judge, I had expected to be more  
*aah*" he hissed as Harry found a particularly sensitive spot, "...more affected by the castle."  
  
Still nuzzling Severus' neck, Harry spoke, "Yes... I noticed that. I think, our," He took a good  
lick, "Wedding night," he smirked, "stabilized something. I have to actually try to invade your  
privacy."  
  
Severus was momentarily distracted by the audacity, "TRY?"  
  
Harry licked his ear, "Not on purpose, but I have to want the information instead of it just... being  
there."  
  
Severus grabbed both of Harry's arms, shifted his feet so that they were flat against the bed and  
rolled. He landed between Harry's legs, shifting just enough to send sparks of pleasure coursing  
through both of them.  
  
It was Harry's turn have his eyes roll back.  
  
"Listen to me Harry." Severus thrust, "We. Will. Have. This. Conversation. Now." He said the  
words with a menacing glare and it would have worked if he hadn't punctuated each one with  
another thrust.  
  
They were both panting harshly. Bright green eyes met black ones and Severus gave up and  
pounced.  
  
Sometime later, they were both much more relaxed.  
  
"Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked lazily.  
  
"I should let you go in unprepared." He said.  
  
"Go where?"  
  
"The press conference." Severus would have smirked at the look on Harry's face, if he hadn't  
understood where it had come from completely.  
______  
  
The room was full. Full of drooling, salivating, hungry, vicious reporters. It was enough to make  
even Severus Snape quake in his boots.  
  
Of course, he was too much of a professional to do so. Though, it didn't stop Harry from  
smirking knowingly. Should just walk out. Let the brat defend himself.  
  
The moment the door opened, the throng of glassy eyed, headline seeking reporters followed their  
every move. Out of curiosity and a little bit of malicious cruelty, he picked up an errant quill  
laying on the podium. He idly twirled it in his fingers then passed it to his other hand and  
seemingly nonchalantly proceeded to never leave it on place for more than a few seconds. The  
reporters looked like they were watching some sort of demented squash match.  
  
Finally he'd had enough and delaying any longer would simply mean that the task was no done, so  
he began. "I have been told that it would be polite to thank you for coming, however, since I am  
neither polite, nor am I happy that you are here, I think we can dispense with that formality."  
  
The group as one went from ecstatic frenzy to merely excited.  
  
He continued, "I will make a brief statement and then you may ask questions," with a raised  
eyebrow he gave his audience a warning look, "Do try not to annoy me."  
  
Excited gave way to hoping they could write a story without getting fired or maimed.  
  
"Two days ago Albus Dumbledore was killed defending this school. During that time Cornelius,"  
he made an effort not to sneer too badly while saying his name, "Fudge also... perished. I cannot  
say much more than that because the ministry is still rather... disorganized and we have not had  
the chance to discuss," this time he did sneer, "the incident in question fully." He took a deep  
breath, "So I cannot answer most of your questions." Oh that was fun. They looked like he'd  
cancelled Christmas.  
  
Continuing on, "As for the subject of the next headmaster, there have been numerous discussions  
but nothing has been finalized. So I cannot comment on that either." Even better, they had that  
kicked puppy look now.  
  
Now for the most painful part, "As to my supposed marriage to one Harry Potter," another deep  
breath, "It is true." Damn they looked happy again. He opened his arms in a welcoming gesture,  
"Please, ask your questions." It would have almost been a warm gesture, if he hadn't been silently  
daring them to piss him off.  
  
One daring reporter in the front row started, "I notice that you're the one making the statement,  
does that mean the Minerva McGonagall is somehow incapacitated?"  
  
He looked down his nose, "Your powers of observation astound me, its not wonder that you're a  
reporter. The reason I am making this statement is simple, we flipped a coin, I lost."  
  
Let them chew on that.  
  
Another one spoke up, "It seems like you have very little information, why are you making this  
statement now?"  
  
Glaring menacingly, he responded, "Let's not pretend we don't know why all of you are here, be  
adults about this, I know exactly why you are here and which part of my statement you were most  
desiring to here. Simply, despite the fact that its none of your business, you're going to write  
about it anyway, I might as well provide you with the correct facts. I'm warning you now, one  
quote out of context and" he lowered his head and glared at each and every one of them, "you  
will never write again." he said each word with the type of precision that left no doubt in their  
minds that he didn't mean they would be out of a job.  
  
"Do you have any comment on the story that the Daily Prophet ran a few days ago?" Someone  
from the middle asked.  
  
There was a startled silence, while every eye in the place went to his wand hand, for fun, he  
twitched. He'd have to ask the mutt later which ones wet themselves.  
  
"I will use the words of Albus Dumbledore, 'it is surprisingly accurate and tasteful' a feat that I'm  
sure will not be repeated any time soon." He looked balefully over the crowd, "However, if I ever  
find out how that information was leaked, I will be a very happy man, others however, will not."  
  
More startled silence, then, "How does Mr. Potter feel about this?" the same daring one as before.  
  
"How would I know?" he asked, being stubborn.  
  
"I'd assumed you'd talked between bouts of uncontrollable shagging." The anonymous voice  
drawled.  
  
Damnit! Where was that reporter. He couldn't hex him if he didn't know where he was!  
  
"If any of you know what's good for you, you'll give up your compatriot now, or I stop the  
questions." He glared at them for several seconds before the crowd parted leaving slightly  
uncomfortable but still confident looking young man. "There, that's better, I always prefer being  
insulted to my face. It makes revenge easier."  
  
The young man raised his chin defiantly. "It was decent question, you're the one who refused to  
answer."  
  
Was there steam coming out of his ears? It certainly felt like there should be. He ground his teeth  
together and answered, "I dare say, Mr. Potter's feelings are similar to mine."  
  
"Who knew he had feelings." Someone muttered.  
  
"I heard that," he said without turning his head, "10 point from Ravenclaw."  
  
"But I don't go here anymore!" the young reporter protested.  
  
"I know, but your brother does." That shut them up, he continued, "As I was saying, Mr. Potter's  
feelings are similar to my own, we loathe the lack of control and privacy that this has brought  
upon both of us, beyond that," he took the time to glare directly at several people, "it's none of  
your business."  
  
"Are you planning on staying married?" From another brave soul in the middle.  
  
He raised an eyebrow, "Now do you really think I'm going to give you that sort of satisfaction?"  
he watched their faces fall, excellent. "Now, I have no more time for this childish excuse of an  
exercise. Please leave the grounds immediately before I set some of Hagrid's nastier excuses for  
lesson plans on the lot of you." With that, he swept away and out of the room.  
  
On the other side of the door, he found Harry, collapsed on the floor, tears in his eyes.  
  
"What's the matter now, Mr. Potter?"  
  
Harry looked up at him, clearly still laughing, "You have a great act, you should tour." he  
managed to get out before collapsing again.  
  
He had just enough time to raise an eyebrow before he was attacked by several stones of Harry  
Potter. A breathless, "And what did I tell you about using my last name?" was whispered in his  
ear.  
  
"Oh, and since when was this a bed?" he asked, pointedly ignoring the wiggling body on top of  
him.  
  
Harry pulled back and smirked, "Use your imagination," and pounced.  
  
Maybe the day wasn't so bad after all.  
  
TBC...  
  
Heh... hehehe. Hehehehehehhe. 


	13. Epilogue

Pledges Epilogue Disclaimers etc.. See part 1  
  
Author's notes: Its DOOONE!! *does the happy dance* Now to edit it and get rid of the little  
things that are bothering me. But maybe AFTER the semester ends.  
  
For those of you who want to start at the begining, here's the link  
  
  
Thanks to ALL of you who have responded. I'm terribly bad at replying to feedback and half of it  
is stuck on my other computer. Know that I appreciate every words that's sent. Thank you to  
everyone who's help my hand through this.  
  
Epilogue 1/1  
Severus woke up just as weary as when he'd fallen asleep. The last weeks of school had never  
been this tiring, but then he'd never gone through them as Potions Master and Headmaster. The  
title still confounded him and made him weary of his own shadow. Also, the castle had been used  
to someone with a more exuberant sense of humor and it felt he needed to lighten up. Thus, he  
occasionally found himself running into a wall that had not been there seconds before. Oddly, it  
did not annoy him so much as clarify how much he missed Albus.  
  
Harry moaned beside him, "Tell me its not morning already." Harry was also carrying a larger  
burden, aside from the newts, Harry was also taking the tests that would give him his teaching  
credentials in both Potions and Dada. It was the only way to convince the Ministry, and Arthur to  
let Harry out of most of his classes in favor of private tutoring.  
  
They had learned, through some spectacular explosions that thanks to the spell he had all the  
theoretical knowledge as Severus, but not of the practical experience The private lessons had  
covered much more than the standard curriculum because Severus had several years of University  
experience and several decades of life. The newts had taken on an entirely new meaning, because  
of the way they were scored, Harry couldn't use the more advanced magic from Severus'  
repertoire.  
  
So a new set of lessons had been added, so that he could learn to perform with the imposed  
limitations.  
  
Then the DADA teacher, a more wretched person Severus had never met, had tendered his  
resignation. They never had seen eye to eye. Apparently he had several Aurors in the family which  
had been regularly casting aspersions on his background, competency and all around status as a  
human being. His marriage had been the last straw. After Harry had related the story on how the  
teacher had tried to 'save him', he had no problems accepting the resignation.  
  
But that left him with two, possibly three vacancies to fill. It had become apparent that he could  
no teach potions any more, nor be head of house, the latter was easily solved, Sinistra would take  
over. Then Minerva had announced that she was ready to move on. That left transfiguration,  
Head of Gryffindor and the deputy position open. A completely untenable situation.  
  
Harry had suggested a private dinner to discuss the problem. After much wine, Minerva  
eventually agreed to stay on for at least another year to train her replacement, Harry. They'd had  
an argument with the castle over removing the wards from Harry's protection, and if he ever had  
another one it would be too soon. He did not appreciate his rooms being moved to the roof. It  
had not wanted to give up Harry and Harry had agreed. It made sense, in an odd way.  
  
The dinner had eventually brought about the suggestion that Harry take over, one of the empty  
positions. Severus felt the need to point out her recent bout of temporary insanity, by stating that  
Harry would be scarcely older than most of his students.  
  
"How about first year through fourth?" Harry suggested.  
  
"You would be old enough, but that still leaves the rest." Severus pointed out.  
  
"No." Harry shook his head, "First through fourth for BOTH Potions and DADA."  
  
Minerva nodded, "It could work, you could teach the older ones Severus, hire an assistant," she  
said before he could object, "Make him do all the marking and preparations, maybe take over a  
class or two when the need arises."  
  
And thus more classes were added to his schedule.  
  
Finding an assistant had been easy. Most Universities with advanced potions degrees had a year  
internship. Hogwarts being a top school, got a top candidate. Of course, Severus nearly had a  
heart attack when George Weasley's file came across his desk.  
  
It was only several hours later when he was overcome with uncontrollable laughter at the thought  
of the sweet, sweet revenge the next year would be.  
  
Harry moaned beside him again, "We should get up, I'm not in the mood for any tasteless jokes  
today."  
  
Severus silently agreed, but didn't move.  
  
Over the course of the last few months, the silent stares had given way to whispered  
conversations to out right accusations, to full out brawls and harassment and finally, when it  
became apparent that none of what was being accused had or was currently going on, tasteless  
jokes.  
  
Beside him, the bed shifted as Harry started to roll out of bed, "What's on your schedule today?"  
  
"Meetings, paperwork, meetings, classes, paperwork, meetings and tests." Severus muttered.  
  
Harry stumbled to the bathroom, "You're repeating yourself."  
  
Severus swung his legs off the bed, "You haven't seen my schedule, those things bear repeating."  
  
Harry's head poked out from behind the door, a tired smile graced his face, "Suddenly, I find my  
schedule entirely relaxing. I'm having lunch with Sirius, by the way. So I won't see you 'till  
potions."  
  
He sighed, "Don't let that man distract you to thoroughly, today's lesson needs your full  
concentration."  
  
"You always say that!" Harry yelled from behind the door.  
  
"And its always true!" He yelled back.  
  
Severus shook his head, he was having a conversation, through a door. What had happened to  
him? He didn't even want to contemplate it.  
  
Harry swept out of their rooms in the sort of whirlwind that only the young and running late  
seemed to be able to accomplish. A, "See you later!" was yelled in his general direction even as  
the outer door was closing.  
  
Severus muttered incoherencies to himself as he prepared for the long arduous day ahead.  
  
******  
  
Severus was running late. Of course, that had started about 4 hours earlier when his class had run  
late with a spectacular explosion that had shifted his entire schedule. Walking down the hallway,  
he heard muted voices coming from his classroom. The bond told him that one of them was  
Harry, but it wasn't until he was at the door that he recognized the other's as Black's.  
  
"...How are you really, Harry? You look horrible. Both of you do." That was Black's voice, he  
did sound genuinely concerned.  
  
Severus inched closer to the door, seeing if he could peek in. He hoped that Harry was sufficiently  
distracted not to notice him.  
  
"I'm just tired, Sirius. It's been a long week." Harry was setting up his cauldron and gathering  
ingredients.  
  
"So everything's alright then? With... Severus?" Black looked uncomfortable even asking.  
  
Harry was carefully scrubbing out the cauldron, "Fine, not that we've had much chance to talk  
recently," Harry gave a small snort, "Hell, we haven't even been in the same room to anything  
other than sleep in nearly..." he trailed off, a shocked look coming over his face.  
  
"What? Harry?"  
  
"We haven't... we haven't had sex in... over a week." It was a shocking revelation. For both of  
them.  
  
What did that mean? Severus leaned back against the cool dungeon wall, his mind spinning with  
possibilities.  
  
Black's voice wafted over to him again, "...that means?! Harry! That's terrific!"  
  
What in the HELL?? What was the flea bitten mongrel going on about?  
  
"...you can get away Harry! Go on vacation, away from him!" Black was babbling.  
  
Harry was... silent.  
  
Severus was... unable to comprehend the concept.  
  
Black continued, "Harry. Harry? What's wrong? Don't you understand what this means?"  
  
"Yes." Harry's subdued voice answered, "but remember, when this started, we could barely go  
several hours without shagging. This could be, well, a loosening of the noose."  
  
A loosening of the noose? What the hell was that supposed to mean? He faced facts. This may  
very well be the beginning of the end. He admitted to himself that he liked his life the way it was.  
Sure he still felt like a ridiculous old man. But he was still a man. A man who was having sex on a  
very regular basis. There was something very soothing in that.  
  
"Harry, you're not listening to me." Black persisted. "Don't you want to get away for a while?  
Have some time to yourself? Some privacy?"  
  
Harry stopped his almost, at this point, obsessive cleaning of the cauldron and stared down at a  
nonexistent stain. "Sirius." He began, in a steady, but hushed tone. "I don't think that going  
halfway around the world would grant me the type of privacy you're thinking about. Just because  
we don't feel the need to have shag like there's no tomorrow doesn't mean that all the rest that  
came with it is suddenly gone." His hands began their movements again and he let out a quiet  
sigh. "And just because that part of the spell is... fading, it doesn't mean that I'm so eager to get  
rid of the rest."  
  
That was enough. That conversation was not one Black should be privy to, at least, not before  
Harry and himself had, had a chance to talk about it. Alone. Privately. Without nattering little  
blowhards trying to get their way.  
  
There was a startled silence in the room and he took his chance. Making loud sounds with his feet  
he deliberately began speaking before he reached the door, "Harry, I know that I'm late, but if  
you've made any sort of mess in there I will drag you to the highest tower and hang you from it  
by your toes... and I'll use your entrails for wall hangings!"   
  
Harry looked vaguely startled but he snapped out, "The castle would never let you. It likes me  
better."  
  
"No," he countered, "it just hasn't figured out how to annoy you to the point of insanity."  
  
Harry snickered. "Probably. But until that happens, I'm going to stick by my previous statement."  
  
Sirius was looking at them in confusion. "I think I'll just be going." He was already edging his  
way to the door.  
  
"The best thing that's happened all day." Severus said.  
  
"You," Harry pointed to him, "behave. You," he turned to Sirius, "Go, I'll see you later."  
  
The lesson proceeded without much more conversation. They both had little energy for it. Just as  
Severus was leaving for another meeting, he turned to Harry, "I've been thinking."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Let's have dinner in our rooms tonight." He said. It had been something they had avoided  
because it just caused more trouble with the general population of Hogwarts. But they were both  
genuinely exhausted and there was a much needed conversation that needed to happen.  
  
Harry stared at him intently for a few moments before nodding. "That sounds... nice. Might even  
be worth the jokes we'll get the next morning."  
  
He let out a soft snort, "I'll see you tonight then. I'll talk to the house elves."  
  
"Ok." Harry seemed like he was about to say more, but he stopped and shook his head and said  
only, "I'll clean up here." He put a hand to forestall any protesting, "I know, I know. Mess up  
anything and I'm strung up by some uncomfortable body part from a very tall place."  
  
He nodded and swept out with his customary swiftness.  
  
*****  
  
Ron, Hermione and Draco were sitting at a small table in the corner. Sometime after  
Dumbledore's death, the hall had rearranged itself and instead of 4 very large and long rectangular  
tables there were now, many, many more smaller round tables. They could each fit about 10 to 15  
people.   
  
At first, the houses had retained their strict delineation. But eventually Draco had stood up and  
said something to the effect of, "Damnit, I'm shagging them, I should damn well be able to eat  
with them." It seemed logical and no one was willing to argue. Especially since it involved  
confronting Hermione.  
  
Now, while there were still several tables that contained only a single house, there were a few that  
had a curious mixture.  
  
"Where's Harry?" Asked Ron.  
  
"He said something about Dinner in his rooms." Hermione answered.  
  
Ron made a face, "I wish he wouldn't do that."  
  
"Do what?" Draco asked, knowing full well the basic idea of what disturbed Ron.  
  
"Make it easy for people to hurt him." Ron answered.  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Now what on earth do you mean by that?"  
  
Ron shrugged, "Its just, by not eating here, Harry's just drawing attention to his... situation."  
  
Now Draco raised an eyebrow, "I'm curious. Why does everyone treat this like some sort of  
horrible affliction?" Ron looked at him incredulously. He continued, "Really, the way I see it,  
they're getting laid on a pretty regular basis and don't you dare make that look, you know as well  
as I do, that man has some definite merits. Also, its not like they're badly matched. Have you even  
watched them together?"  
  
Hermione's eyes glazed over a bit as she was trying to recall as many incidents as possible  
between the two in question, "I'm not sure I know what you mean, they try so hard not to be  
together in public."  
  
Draco nodded, "But think about when they are, do they look unhappy? Resigned? Seriously  
wishing they could be anywhere else but where they were?"  
  
Ron shrugged, "I don't know. Whenever they're forced to be together in public they look awfully  
uncomfortable."  
  
"But Ron," Hermione interupted with a look on her face that said she had finally gotten what  
Draco was trying to say, "That's only when everyone is looking at them. Think about when we've  
been alone with them, not here, in the great hall with all those prying eyes, but that time Professor  
Snape let us use his rooms for the study session."  
  
Draco nodded in satisfaction, "Right. No tension."  
  
"What about all that snapping they did?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione just looked pointedly at him and then at Draco.  
  
"Oh." Ron squeaked. "You mean they..." He trailed off, obviously too horrified to voice the  
thought.  
  
"Yep." Draco confirmed. "They are definately using each other for more than a good shag."  
  
Ron didn't respond, he just dug back into his food with a gusto, obviously needing some time to  
get used to the idea.  
  
"The question is," Hermione voiced Draco's unspoken concern, "Do *they* know that?"  
  
Draco snorted, "Probably not, but if they don't figure it out soon. I'm going to have a little talk  
with 'Daddy'"  
  
Ron choked at the mention of the nickname that Draco and Harry had used to thouroughly  
confuse the rest of the school, yet once more time several months ago. But wisely, remained  
silent.  
  
******  
  
Harry was sprawled on the sofa in the living room, book perched on his chest, eyes half closed,  
enjoying not doing anything for the first time all day. The dinner weighed heavily on his mind. He  
had a vague idea why Severus had asked, he wasn't oblivious and if he hadn't figured it out  
before, Harry's own revelation had to have triggered it. Their connection had a way of supplying  
information without them realizing it was being supplied.  
  
A quiet click from the door signaled what Harry already knew. Severus had come back. The  
house elves had set up a table sitting in the corner. It was covered in linen and hat two elegant  
candle sticks glowing softly. There was wine and simple meal that had been taunting his senses  
from the moment he arrived.  
  
They didn't need to speak as they moved to the table. The hunger was palpable. They dug in,  
enjoying the savory meal, their bodies thankful for the fuel they were giving it. They conversed in  
muted tones, telling each other of the ups and downs of their day. The amusing moments, the  
annoying ones.  
  
Finally, Harry looked up and met Severus' eyes directly, "I had an... interesting conversation with  
Sirius today."  
  
"I know." Severus, sipped the wine before him.  
  
"I figured you might," Harry gave an awkward smile, "I realized that we haven't... that we  
haven't done more than sleep for about a week."  
  
"That had also come to my attention." Severus studied his wine glass, waiting for Harry to  
continue, to see where he was going.  
  
"I want to try..."he paused, gathering his words, "Could you stand up?"  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Severus did as he asked.  
  
Harry walked around the table and stood in front of him. "I don't feel... that is, the compulsion  
isn't there."  
  
Severus shook his head, "The same for me."  
  
"Good." Harry nodded, "Then you'll know that when I do this," Harry tangled his fingers in  
Severus' hair, his palms framing the high cheekbones, "You'll know that it was my decision." He  
swayed forward, brushing lips against lips., The soft kiss went on for a few seconds before Harry  
pulled back to whisper harshly, "Mine."  
  
Severus stared into the green eyes in front of him and watched the pupils dilate in desire. Harry's  
desire. Not some god forsaken spell pulling their strings. It was the most arousing thing he'd seen  
in years. Something uncurled in the pit of his stomach, spreading warmth to the tips of his fingers.  
He wrapped his arms around the now familiar waist and tugged Harry into his embrace. "Yours."  
He agreed, "And mine."  
  
They kissed again. It was strange, at first, with no compulsion to urge them on. So they stood  
there and enjoyed the new sensation of simply kissing. They eventually found their way back to  
the sofa, with Harry straddling Severus' lap. Severus' longer torso just made it easier in that  
position.  
  
The heat of Severus' thighs burned against Harry's own and the slow exploration of tongues soon  
became marked with small gasps of pleasure. Robes were shrugged off and shirts unbuttoned. The  
flickering firelight gave unaccustomed color to pale flawless skin. The deep shadows of the room  
hid imperfections that unhurried caresses stumbled over. Knowledge that had been gathered  
fleetingly on previous occasions was explored thoroughly.  
  
Eventually Severus' hands grabbed possessively at Harry's hips and pulled them into alignment  
with his own. That brought gasp and moan from both of them before they settled into a slow and  
steady rhythm. They pressed together, chest to sternum, eyes locked together letting the feelings  
build slowly, the harsh panting becoming uneven, the moans louder, until finally Harry plunged  
forward into a harsh, demanding kiss before jumping off Severus' lap entirely.  
  
A protest died on Severus' tongue as he watched Harry frantically undoing his trousers. Instead,  
he followed the example set before him, unbuttoning and then shoving everything down as far as  
he could make them go. He struggled bravely with the bends of his knees, but his wildy beating  
heart and sweaty, shaking hands wouldn't let them get any further down. He looked up to see  
how Harry was fairing and nearly exploded at the sight of Harry, lube in hand, obviously  
summoned from their night stand, preparing himself.  
  
Wandless magic was a wonderful thing.  
  
A few more seconds and Harry let out a frustrated sound, capped the bottle, a dropped it, none  
too gently onto the carpet before practically jumping back into Severus' lap.  
  
A quiet hiss was let out as bare skin once again met. Harry's right hand, glistening, coated his  
length. Rising up on his knees, he scooted forward, braced himself and slowly sank down.  
  
Oh god! There was nothing like that. Like that hot, tight, heat capturing him. Nothing like being  
able to enjoy it. To hold out on it. To take it slowly, at his own pace, not some preordained  
cadence.  
  
They ground their hips together, not moving more than needed to send sparks racing through  
their bodies. Finally the pressure built and they needed more. Severus' slid down on the couch,  
allowing Harry more purchase. The younger man raised his hips and dropped them. Faster and  
faster. Harder and harder.  
  
A fine sheen of sweat coated both of them as their pace increased.  
  
Pleasure built into a bowstring, taught and powerful.  
  
Hands clenched tightly, knuckles white with exertion.  
  
Muscles tense, hips moving like well oiled machines.  
  
This is what he needed. What they needed. No one pulling strings. No one making decisions for  
them. No one else, *nothing* else but them and the now overwhelming pleasure building inside  
them.  
  
"Severus..." Harry's rough voice filtered into his foggy brain.  
  
"Harry..." He ground out. He removed one hand from Harry's hips and grabbed sweat soaked  
hair, pulling the flushed face before him to his lips. Teeth and lips and tongues clashed in a near  
violent expression of emotion.  
  
They broke apart, taking huge gulps of air, Harry murmured against his lips, "More... need  
more..."  
  
Severus slid them off the sofa, /Yes... more/.   
  
Harry fell back and Severus fell with him, pushing Harry's legs up and back, gaining purchase and  
starting their rhythm once more. Faster, deeper.  
  
/God yes/ Harry whispered in his head.  
  
/Oh yes/ Severus responded.  
  
It was only a matter of time before the movements became frantic. Severus wove a hand between  
them and grasped the heated length resting at their stomachs.  
  
Harry arched up into the touch, panting, muscles twitching. A few more frenzied thrusts and he  
stiffened, mouth open in a silent scream, he convulsed.  
  
Severus was swallowed alive in that clenching heat and with one final plunge, ecstacy flew  
through his body, leaving him shaking and spent.  
  
They lay sprawled on the floor, boneless heaps, muscles jelly. Chests heaving and sweat drying on  
their cooling bodies.  
  
Harry mumbled something. Severus felt the warm breath against his ear and a small residual shiver  
went through his body. A blanket covered them both. More wandless magic.  
  
Where did the whelp find the energy?  
  
Severus shifted them both onto their sides, still intertwined. "This is going to be hell on my back."  
He mumbled.  
  
Harry smiled into his neck and answered, "But just think about your ego."  
  
"Mmm, yes, sodomizing the boy who lived into unconsciousness, I'll be most popular one in the  
playground." He grumbled, eyelids slowly lowering.  
  
"That's what you get for marrying up." Harry quipped and then punctuated it with large yawn.  
  
"Shut up and go to sleep you annoying little twerp."  
  
"That's annoying little twerp who's an incredibly good shag, to you."  
  
"Do you ever shut up?" Severus asked, not one to let the last word be that easily surrendered.  
  
Harry opened his mouth to comment, but found it invaded by a questing tongue.  
  
"I said," Severus hissed, "Go. To Sleep."  
  
Blessed silence pervaded the room for several long minutes until he heard a soft whisper, "Good  
night, Severus."  
  
Annoying obnoxious, stupid, incredibly shaggable, brat.  
  
******  
  
Severus apparated just outside of the house at #4 Privet Drive. The family inside were sitting and  
staring blindly at the square box in the corner. For all its supposed advantages, the television had  
to be a detriment to muggle society as a whole.  
  
He got a good look at the interior of the room and let a malicious smile spread across his face.  
And then, just for the hell of it, he apparated. Right into the center of the room.  
  
The man, Vernon, spluttered indignantly. The woman and the boy squeaked like vermin.  
  
"Who the hell are you? What in the HELL are you doing here?" Vernon spat, obviously having  
recovered. Severus was rather surprised the man hadn't had a heart attack, considering his  
obvious physical detriments.  
  
"I am here to inform you that you are relieved of your duties as guardian of one Harry Potter."  
Severus informed them and then waited for what he had been assured would be a spectacular  
show.  
  
The littlest, and that was only relative, vermin spoke up, "You mean the freak's never coming  
back? What'd he do get himself sent away or something? For being too freakish?"  
  
A minor twinge of rage raced through his veins, but it was kept in check by what he planned to  
do. "No you annoying little twerp, he did not get put away."  
  
"Don't you call me son names you monstrosity!" Vernon was positively molting. "As for the boy,  
it wouldn't surprise me, all the trouble that he was."  
  
"I will call your poor excuse for a son anything I wish you pompous overgrown pig!" Severus  
shot back, "As for Harry," he emphasized the name, just to rub it in, "He found relations that are  
of a closer degree than you and considering your primate status, it wasn't that hard. He has  
chosen to spend the remainder of his time before becoming 18 with him."  
  
Severus stalked closer to the bloated man and continued in a harsh tone, "As for his supposed  
behavior, Harry has caused me more trouble than your feverish imagination could ever dream of  
and I have never treated him the way you have. I have been privy to much of Harry's childhood  
memories and you are extremely lucky that you did not venture too far out of the realm of verbal  
abuse. But if I ever find out that you did. That you engaged in physical or psychological torture of  
ANY kind, you won't even have the time to pray to whatever deity you have the misguided belief  
to think might be watching over you before I strike."  
  
Vernon leapt, or as close to a leap that he could manage, Severus, simply waved his hand and he  
fell to the floor with a loud thud. There was shriek of noise from behind him, he whirled and did  
the same to Petunia and Dudley, who had been attempting to sneak out the back. He levitated  
them back to the sofa and put a simple binding curse on them.  
  
"You're incredibly lucky that," he started again, "that young man is not in fact going to stay with  
you this summer, or ever again. In all your years of hatred and scorn, did it ever occur to you that  
one day he would reach the age of majority in the wizarding world and not have to worry about  
little things such as a restriction on the use of magic. You think I am powerful you should see  
him." He was satisfied to see that by the time he'd finished, all three of them had gone white  
faced.  
  
He began to pace in front of them, stopping to face Vernon, "And really, what did you expect to  
accomplish by leaping at me? Even if I didn't have my wand drawn, that is if I had actually needed  
it, were you planning on bludgeoning me to death? Or merely suffocating me with your massive  
girth." He smirked at all of them, "A bit of advice for the future, that rash attitude of yours  
probably doesn't endear you to many people. Maybe that's why you haven't had a promotion in  
years. Stop trying to find other people to blame your faults on. It isn't very becoming."  
  
He adjusted the hex a bit, it would get progressively more uncomfortable for several hours before  
releasing. Severus let loose another wolfish smile and said "Have a good day." and apparated  
away, making a mental note to share the memory in its entirety with harry for his birthday.  
  
******  
  
Harry's birthday came as surprise to both of them. In the final streams of tests for Harry and  
meetings and interviews for Severus a letter came from Mrs. Weasley for one Harry Potter and  
guest, inviting them to dinner, in a weeks time, at the Weasley house with the whole family.  
  
Harry had blinked repeatedly at the invitation and looked at Severus.  
  
Severus held up under that gaze for a matter of minutes before he gave in with rolled eyes and a  
tired nod.  
  
Harry thanked him by pouncing him and dragging him to the floor. All in all, not a bad day.  
  
The evening of July 31 found Severus and Harry taking the floo to the Weasley's humble abode.  
They tumbled out one right after the other landing, somewhat awkwardly, right on top of each  
other. Harry looked up into the slightly reproving eyes of Mrs. Weasley and quickly scrambled off  
Severus.  
  
They dusted off and found their way to the table. Fred, George, Arthur and Ginny were already  
there. Bill and Charlie, apparently couldn't make it.  
  
"Ron and Hermione should be here any minute dears, get comfortable." Molly yelled from behind  
the stove. Harry sat down next to Severus and counted the plates, there were four empty. Harry  
wondered out loud about it.  
  
"Hermione is bringing a friend." Molly answered with a singsong type voice that said she  
suspected that whoever Hermione was bringing, it was more than a friend.  
  
Harry and the rest if the Weasley's made small talk, killing time. Severus sat, tense, next to him.  
Not saying a word. Harry made no move to include because the one and only time he'd tried,  
Severus had sent a mental warning. As Harry didn't want to be suspended out of some high tower  
somewhere, he didn't try again.  
  
A loud commotion from the fireplace signaled the arrival of the last of the guests, Molly rushed  
out to greet them, eager to see who the third guest would be.  
  
They could hear her muffled voice, "Ron! Hermione! So good to see you again! And... oh!...  
Draco... I wasn't expecting you."  
  
Everyone at the table save, Harry, Severus and Ginny were surprised at the newest guest who was  
walking into the room.  
  
"Thank you for having me Mrs. Weasley." Draco said, showing the room, that yes, when he  
wanted to, he could have manners.  
  
Molly stuttered and shushed him, "Its Molly, dear. Call me Molly."  
  
Draco smiled and took the place that was offered him at the table.  
  
Most discussion stopped in favor of eating the sumptuous meal placed before them. As plates  
emptied and refilled themselves, the shoveling slowed and words could be gotten in edgewise.  
  
"Hermione," Molly started, "Tell me what you're going to do now that you've finished Hogwarts.  
My own son won't give me the satisfaction. Keeps muttering something about a surprise. It  
would be nice to hear about someone's plans."  
  
Hermione finished what she was chewing slowly and swallowed. Gathering her courage she began  
speaking, "Well, the magical division of Oxford accepted me for their advanced Charms  
curriculum. I suspect I'll stay there through my doctorate. I have some fascinating theories about  
muggle advances and how they can be applied to our world."  
  
Instead of the expected derisive mental snort from Severus, Harry got intrigue instead.  
  
Severus leaned forward and commented, "Are you planning on working with the scientific  
equipment, or just the comforts?"  
  
Hermione smiled that brilliant smile that she got when someone was not only interested, but  
capable of following on her level, "At the moment, a little bit of both. But I must admit, I was  
quite intrigued by the thought of applying some of their technology to potion making. I imagine it  
would make trial and error and entirely new process."  
  
Severus raised a sardonic eyebrow, "That it would Miss Granger, that it would."  
  
Harry smiled, "Don't let his attitude get to you Hermione, he's really interested."  
  
Severus threw him a look.  
  
Hermione just waved him off, "Oh don't worry Harry, I could tell. It's the same look he gave me  
when I went to him with my senior project. And please, Professor, call me Hermione."  
  
Severus twitched, "I'll try. And you may call me..." He tried to say it, really. He did. Finally he  
gave up and simply said, "Whatever you wish, as long as it's properly respectful."  
  
Hermione smiled, "Its ok. I don't think I could call you anything BUT Professor. We'll reevaluate  
after my next degree."  
  
Severus nodded in agreement.  
  
"And you, Draco?" Arthur piped up.  
  
"I'm also going to Oxford. Advanced transfiguration. Hermione and I are thinking of combining  
our later projects." Draco said between bites.  
  
Molly looked pointedly at Ron, "And you young man?"  
  
Ron squirmed in his seat but answered. "I'm also going to university. The Aurors are offering  
extra classes. Its like becoming a specially trained Auror."  
  
Arthur nodded, "I know the program you're talking about, but aren't there several tests before  
you're accepted?"  
  
Ron blushed beat red, "I take the last one next week."  
  
"Well Ron!" Molly was positively busting with pride.  
  
Harry was also very proud of his friends, but he was sensing that there was something else going  
on as well.  
  
"Hermione, are you going to live in the dorms on campus?" Molly asked with a wistful sigh, "I  
remember my days at university."  
  
Hermione's shoulder's stiffened fractionally and Harry knew that this was where the whole thing  
was going to blow up.  
  
"I'm a... I'm getting a flat in the city." She answered tentatively.  
  
"In Oxford?" Arthur questioned, "Isn't that a bit expensive."  
  
"I ah... have a roommate who's helping with the rent." She blushed slightly and looked down,  
hiding her face in her hair.  
  
Molly took in the situation and quicky added up the facts, "Draco?"  
  
The blonde actually blushed. "Um, yes?"  
  
"Hermione." Molly was starting to get especially motherly.  
  
"Yes?" She squeaked. "Draco is one of my roommates."  
  
Molly visibly deflated, obviously happy with her answer, "And who is the other?"  
  
Ron tentatively raised his hand. "I am."  
  
Molly's smile said, 'Aw, isn't that sweet.'  
  
Arthur's did not, "Draco, you're really going to pay for a three bedroom flat?"  
  
"Uh.." The blush was spreading, "Not three."  
  
"Two?" Arthur's voice was getting hard.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
Molly looked confused again, "What's going on here?"  
  
Severus finally gave up the pretense and rolled his eyes, "For Merlin's sake, the three of them  
have been shagging for nearly 6 months, and you three," he turned to the reluctant trio, "If you  
can't talk about it, you shouldn't be doing it."  
  
Silence.  
  
Utter and absolute silence.  
  
A silence like none other ever seen at the Weasley table.  
  
Until the clapping started. Two hands, at the same time. Soon joined by a third.  
  
Ginny, Fred and George had huge grins on their faces.  
  
"We're proud of you." Said Fred.  
  
"Didn't know you had it in you." Said George.  
  
Ginny just smirked and said, "It's about time."  
  
Molly's shocked voice rang through the room, "Ginny! You knew?"  
  
Ginny snorted, "The whole school knew."  
  
Molly let out another indignant yelp.  
  
Severus leaned closer to Harry and sent, /We should have sold tickets/  
  
Harry elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Mum, Dad. Listen." Ron spoke up, "We... that is, the three of us, have spent a lot of time talking  
about this and... its something we need to do."  
  
Molly raised her eyebrow.  
  
"Live together, without Hogwarts. See how things turn out."  
  
Molly and Arthur stared at each other, communicating in some sort of parent code before slowly  
nodding. "We want to visit this place of yours." Arthur said.  
  
"Arthur!" Molly looked at her husband in shock.  
  
"Molly, now is not the time to discuss this." Arthur tried placating.  
  
Molly shot up out of her chair, pushing it back, nearly toppling it. The table shook with the  
violent motion. "No Arthur, I think this is the perfect time to discuss this, we are, after all  
discussing their futures. Or what will be left of them after they go off and do something foolish  
like this!"  
  
At that Ron stood up as well his chair actually falling over, "It's not foolish!"  
  
Draco placed a placating hand on Ron's arm, "Ron, calm down."  
  
"Get your hands off my son!" Molly all but roared.  
  
"Oh please mum, it's a little late to worry about touching isn't it?" Ron's entire body was quaking  
with unexpressed anger.  
  
"Don't you talk to me like that, young man! I am your mother and you will treat me with  
respect!"  
  
"Fine!" Ron pushed himself from the table, making it shake, "You first." He turned on his heal  
and walked away.  
  
Molly's mouth simply flapped up and down, unsure of how to respond.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione yelled after him.  
  
"Ronald Weasley!" Draco yelled, "Get your stubborn arse back in here this instant!"  
  
At the red heads silence, Draco cursed under his breath and stood up as well, following the same  
path Ron had taken.  
  
The poor kitchen door which had been abused beyond recognition by the two forceful exits did  
not completely close and allowed the remaining occupants to hear the conversation going on in  
the next room.  
  
Severus leaned closer to Harry, /Draco did that on purpose. His foot stopped the momentum of  
the door before it swung back./  
  
Harry looked at Severus sharply, before returning his attention to the overheard conversation.  
  
"Ron get back in there."  
  
"I can't. I just... It feels like we just finished this argument at school and here we are, starting all  
over again.  
  
Draco's voice deepened, "I don't care what you feel, you're going to go back in there and discuss  
this rationally. My father may have been bastard for most of my life, but his death affected me in  
way you can't imagine. So you're going to go back into that room and make sure that those two  
people who raised you stay in your life, by whatever means necessary."  
  
There was a short silence, where the only things that could be heard was deep uneven breathing  
and the rustling of clothing.  
  
"Fine." Ron's voice sounded rough, "I'll go back in there, but I can't promise anything."  
  
The two men re-entered the room to find Hermione being comforted by Ginny, the twins looking  
dumbstruck, Severus and Harry waiting patiently and Molly and Arthur staring in shock at the  
door.  
  
The entire room was silent once more.  
  
Ron took a few deep breaths, readying to speak when Arthur interrupted.  
  
"Draco."  
  
The blonde's head turned.  
  
"You..." Arthur's calculating gaze assessed the couple, "You care for my son?" Hermione's's  
hand had snuck up to take Ron's, "both of you?"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"More than I ever thought possible." Draco whispered.  
  
Arthur and Molly shared another parental look.  
  
"Fine," Arthur said, "But as I said, I want to see this flat of yours."  
  
"And I expect the three of you here once a month for dinner." Molly added.  
  
The three, as a whole relaxed.  
"Thank god." Fred said.  
  
"We were worried," George continued.  
  
"That's we'd have to wait forever,"  
  
"For the mashed,"  
  
"Potatoes."  
  
The words hadn't been out of their mouths for 5 seconds when two large plops of potatoes  
landed square in the twins faces.  
  
Harry could have sworn he heard a mental whistling in his head.  
  
An awkward silence descended, which was happily broken by Fred, George and Ginny talking and  
eating as if nothing had happened.  
  
Harry attempted to do the same. He turned to Molly and said, "Thank you for inviting Severus  
tonight."  
  
Severus tensed beside him and he instantly realized why that topic was a bad idea.  
  
Molly smiled a very motherly smile and answered, "Well I understand you can't go very far  
without each other."  
  
Harry wasn't sure what to say to that, since in the intervening weeks, that had discovered that  
Severus and he could indeed separate for an evening if necessary, it had been very helpful in  
allowing Harry to take the tests he had needed to take.  
  
"What's the matter dear?"  
  
The ever observant parent had noticed the tension and felt the need to butt in.  
  
"Uh... I.. That is he and I... we don't need to be around each other all the time anymore." The line  
got spit out in a jumble of words.  
  
"Oh." Molly said, "Then. Severus, thank you for coming." She was obviously not sure of what to  
say.  
  
"So what are you going to do now?" Arthur asked.  
  
"Well. I'm almost done with the qualifications required to teach, after that, Severus and I are  
going on vacation. Far away... and we're not telling the governors." Harry smiled thinking about  
how many people that would annoy.  
  
"You're going on vacation?" Molly's face had turned a bit red. "Together?"  
  
Harry and Severus nodded, gearing up for whatever she was about to say.  
  
"When you don't have to?" She was obviously very confused.  
  
Harry took a deep breath, Severus' mental voice had implied that it was his problem and he had to  
deal with it. "Molly. We want to. We kind of need to, the last few months have been, so out of  
control. We finally have some of that back, the ability to make decisions and not be led around by  
our..." Harry's voice broke off abruptly, realizing what he was about to say, "...bonds." he  
finished lamely.  
  
Severus' mental chuckling was not helping.  
  
She was nodding absently, "I understand, you both look like you could use a vacation. I wasn't  
going to mention it now, but you both look very tired." She tilted her head to one side, "But  
together?"  
  
A mental eyeroll was Harry's way. "Yes, together."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Draco let out a quiet snort.  
  
"Why do you and Arthur go on vacation?" Harry's voice had taken on a decidedly sarcastic tone.  
  
"But.. But, you, he.. Spell. It was a spell." Molly sputtered.  
  
Ah, and now they had gotten to the one thing that the article had not touched upon or at least,  
had glossed over it enough to imply that there hadn't been any improper coercion, but had not  
been specific enough to go into the details of each spell.  
  
"The spell was," Harry searched for the right word, "It was the push that we needed. There was  
something we were both looking for, unconsciously on both of our parts I think. The spell just  
helped us fill that role." Harry remembered the feeling of always knowing someone would be  
there for him and he for them, "From there it wasn't much of a leap to want to keep that position  
filled."  
  
"But then how do you know that this is... that there isn't someone else?" Molly was trying to get  
at something.  
  
Harry shook his head, "There's a bond between us, one that won't go away, I could never BE  
closer to anyone. Why would I try?"  
  
"Why shouldn't you?" Molly snapped.  
  
"Molly..." Arthur's tone was mildly reproachful.  
  
"Really have you tried? Separated, or is he being selfish and not letting you?"  
  
"Mum!" Ginny Weasley's voice punctuated the babble that had arisen.  
  
"Stay out of this Ginny, its not your concern." Molly reprimanded.  
  
"The hell it isn't!"  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
"No!"Ginny shook her head violently, "I will not stay out of this. Harry is my friend, he's  
practically a member of the family and I've never seen him happier! You're going to tell me that I  
shouldn't stand up for him?"  
  
"Yes he's happy now, but for all we know it could be some telltale affects of all those spells, what  
he's feeling might not even be his at all."  
  
"Of all the people here, I think I'm the most qualified to say that these two do not act like they're  
under some sort of compulsion," she blushed fiercely, "er.. Emotional compulsion."  
  
"Qualified.?" Molly's voice held the shrill air of incredulity.  
  
Harry shook his head, he knew what she was talking about and knew that she had always avoided  
talking about it because of the painful memories it evoked.  
  
"My first year mum. I was compelled to love someone, to want to do anything for them. To feel  
the need to be theirs in every way."  
  
Severus gasped and suddenly a wave of information went through Harry and he understood what  
had been held back from him at the time, all of them it seemed from the shocked looks form  
almost everyone at the table. Except for Molly and Arthur.  
  
Molly's eyes swelled with unshed tears, "Oh my baby. I'm sorry."  
  
"They're not in any danger," she finished shakily, "Let them be."  
  
The rest of dinner was a quiet affair until Arthur tentatively asked George if he'd gotten notice for  
his internship yet.  
  
"I believe I can answer that question." Severus spoke up.  
  
George turned wide eyes at them.  
  
"I'll expect you a week before the term starts, we have several lesson plans to go over as well as  
your other duties."  
  
George squeaked.  
  
Fred nearly fell off his chair laughing.  
  
*****  
  
Vacation was bliss.  
  
Calm, children, meeting, test, reporter free bliss.  
  
And after the one hotel manager had the gall to give them the honeymoon suite, the death glares  
that had been directed his way stopped any other comments of that nature from the rest of the  
staff.  
  
Severus surprised Harry by suggesting a place with no interesting sight seeing places or tourist  
attractions. Just a beach, a pool, a Jacuzzi and a very large library.  
  
And a bed.  
  
Sirius had been adamant about separate vacations, Harry had smacked him in the head and said  
that he was an adult now and could what he damn well pleased and if being able to see directly  
into Severus' mind and determine that there were no ulterior motives, other than the ones to get  
laid, then Sirius was an idiot and should register somewhere for remedial classes in 'the bloody  
obvious'.  
  
He'd found out later that Sirius had come to talk to Severus. It had apparently been a very calm  
talk. And just before Sirius left, he'd suggested the very place they'd ended up going. It was as  
close to Sirius' blessing as they were going to get, but it still made Harry happy.  
  
Drowsing lazily in bed for the first time in months, Harry drew lazy circles on Severus' pale flesh.  
"Are you happy?"  
  
"Am I ever happy?" Severus drawled.  
  
Harry tried another tactic, "Would you change anything?"  
  
"Yes, I'd have you stop asking insipid questions." Severus muttered.  
  
Harry smiled and nipped at the closes piece of flesh. "That's it?" he asked.  
  
Severus sighed, "Other than killing several wizards on the board of Governors? No."  
  
"Good." Harry rolled on top of Severus and kissed him firmly on the lips, "I'll remind you of that  
in 10 years."  
  
A snort, "I expect you'll have to do that sooner."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and kissed him again, "Prat.  
  
"Brat."  
  
"Old man."  
  
"Mr. Potter." This time in a growl.  
  
"Professor Snape."  
  
"Mine." His voice softened infinitesimally.  
  
"Mine." Harry countered, just as softly.  
  
Worries forgotten, they kissed again, lost in their newfound ownership.  
  
And together, once again they found what they had been searching for.  
  
Belonging.  
  
THE END 


End file.
